Notwithstanding the energetic protests of the Jewish population of Salonika, the bill imposing Sunday closing on Jewish shops there was passed by the Assembly yesterday.
The Jews of Salonika, numbering about 80,000, hitherto have enjoyed the privilege of keeping their offices and shops open on Sundays, whereas those of the Christians renained shut. As the result of repeated complaints by Greek trade unions and the Chamber of Commerce of Salonika against the privilege, the question was brought before the Assembly.
Prime Minister Papanastasiou, replying to Deputies who were opposing the bill, said that if they permitted Jewish offices and shops to open on Sunday they would place Greek business firms and shopkeepers at a disadvantage, the more so as the Greek offices, in addition to Sunday, also closed for Saturday afternoon.
The Prime Minister further stated that this bill would withdraw the unfair privilege, which the Jewish merchants have enjoyed.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
