In his interview on ‘Mega Magazino’, with journalists A. Papadopoulos and T. Fouskidis, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said there are two Greek tourism-related issues to be addressed after the coronavirus restrictions are lifted: Creation of a new support package for the tourism sector, and European coordination on air transport to avoid new outbreaks of the virus. “The goal is to create a European health protocol for allowing passengers to board flights,” he stated. He also noted that the tourism issue has climbed very high on the European agenda, thanks to the persistent efforts of Greece and other countries.
Moreover, responding to a relevant question, Mr. Varvitsiotis clarified that there is no plan to bar the entry of people from specific countries that are facing major problems. He noted that it is important for Greek tourism that border-opening be coordinated on the European level.
The Alternate Minister then highlighted that, to respond to the economic repercussions of the virus on a European level, there appears to be support for bolstering European economies through the EU budget and the NSRF programmes. He signalled that the budget would be amended, through expedited procedures, predicting that Greece will receive more funding than under the previous NSRF. He explained that in the case of countries like Greece, with proportionately high public debt, the aim is for a larger portion of this money to be provided via direct subsidies rather than through loans.
Finally, Mr. Varvitsiotis underscored the increased trust Greek citizens are showing in the state authorities, law enforcement and the National Health System, thanks to the Greek government’s coordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic.
April 28, 2020