ATHENS, Greece
The meeting between Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Greek foreign minister Nikos Dendias in the Greek capital Athens was sincere, and all essential issues concerning the two countries were tackled, said various Greek media on Tuesday.
ANA-MPA, the Greek public news agency, presented the news on the meeting with the title "Diplomatic sources: Dendias and Cavusoglu sincerely discussed all the issues."
Greece, Germany and five other European Union (EU) nations introduced a vaccination certificate system for travelers on Tuesday, weeks ahead of the July 1 rollout of the program across the 27-nation bloc.
The other countries starting early were Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Croatia and Poland, according to the European Commission.
Greece, which depends heavily on tourism, has been pressing for the commonly recognized certificate that uses a QR code with advanced security features. The certificates are being issued to people who are fully vaccinated, as well as those who have already contracted the virus and developed antibodies and others who have had a PCR test within the last 72 hours.
The documents will have both digital and paper forms. They'll be free of charge, distributed in the national language plus English and be valid in all the bloc's countries.
"EU citizens are looking forward to traveling again, and they want to do so safely. Having an EU certificate is a crucial step on the way," EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said.
Greece's digital governance minister, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, said easier travel will open up within the EU as nations adopt the new verification standard.
"What will happen is that countries will stop issuing certificates using their own convention and adopt the common convention. That will simplify things considerably because you can imagine the number of bilateral agreements that would otherwise need to be worked out," Pierrakakis told private Skai television.
Kyriakides said in the next few weeks, all EU nations need to "fully finalize their national systems to issue, store and verify certificates, so the system is functioning in time for the holiday season."
Countries will be allowed to add extra vaccines to their individual entry list, including those that have not been formally approved for use across the EU.
The EU Commission believes that people who are vaccinated should no longer have to be tested or put into quarantines, regardless of where they are traveling to or from, starting 14 days after receiving their second shot.
However, member countries have not yet endorsed that recommendation.
The Greek tourism industry is receiving an 800 million euro deal approved by the European Commission to support its emergence from the coronavirus pandemic.
Since May 15th, Greece has been cautiously welcoming back tourists in accordance with European and international guidelines. Greece hopes to double its revenue from tourism this year over last year, when the pandemic gutted this vital sector of the economy.
The Greek tourism sector accounts for about one fifth of its economy directly – and undoubtedly much more indirectly.
The brightest event of the year!
The Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) is the leading and multidimensional exhibition event of the country that is organized annually with historical continuity and consistency from the beginning of the last century.
Gyms will reopen on Monday (May 31), Deputy Minister for Civil Protection & Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias confirmed at the regular live briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday.
The international motion picture industry is rediscovering Greece. Large foreign production companies are increasingly choosing to shoot movies, TV series, adverts and documentaries in this country, drawn by its natural beauty, the climate and the light, as well as its rich cultural heritage and monuments – to say nothing of the reformed framework of incentives for such activities.
New York’s Greek community celebrates 1821 bicentenary with Sail to Freedom
The Greek community of New York will celebrate the bicentenary of the Greek War of Independence on June 6 with the Sail to Freedom.
Sail to Freedom will honor the contribution of philhellenes to the Greek struggle, particularly that of American philhellenes. The main event will be a boat parade to the Statue of Liberty, highlighting not only the role of Greek shipping and navy during the Greek War of Independence but also as a symbol of the connection between Greeks and the sea.
“We celebrate the Greek spirit, our values and the ideas of “Freedom” and “Democracy” with an inspired and unique initiative that will draw the international spotlight to it. Our ancestors fought and died not just for their country but for the idea of free will, freedom of expression, freedom of action, and the freedom that rejects tyranny,” said Evagelina Plakas, publisher of the Hellenic Golden Directory. The concept of Sail to Freedom came to Plakas as a result of the situation imposed by the pandemic and resonated deeply with the community at large.
“Because of the pandemic there were no parades on Fifth Avenue. We also lost many people. Under these circumstances, I wanted to organize something that would celebrate the bicentenary and the American philhellenes but also would show the world that the pandemic is over and that we will be free again,” she added.
The parade will culminate in front of the Statue of Liberty, symbolizing the freedom of all people. There will be a wreath laying ceremony, with wreaths being placed at sea by the participants of the parade, and a performance by aerialist and dancer Jennifer Kovacs.
Originally named as the Hellas, Greece is renowned as the land of Gods throughout the world. Being one of the sunniest countries in the world, Greece awaits all those who love the idea of a spring vacay. If you are the peace-loving kinds and need a summery trip in a less crowded place, then, Greece is definitely your spot. It is believed that in summers there are more tourists than the Greeks in Greece. Head to Greece in April and you will find quite the opposite.
What are the perks of visiting Greece in April? Affordable hotels, less-crowded streets, utmost serenity and finally the much-needed ‘me time’. Already bitten by the travel bug? Go through this perfect guide for having a terrific vacay!
Greece is officially open to tourists. With over 6,000 islands, the Mediterranean paradise attracts flocks of holidaymakers every summer. In 2019, more than 34 million people visited Greece, more than three times the country’s population.
Locals on the nation’s 107 inhabited islands rely on the cash influx from tourism. That was before COVID-19 virtually halted European travel for more than a year. In 2020, tourism dropped by 78 per cent.
At the end of 2020, the Greek government began an ambitious policy of vaccinating everyone on islands with less than 1,000 inhabitants. It is dubbed Eleftheria or ‘liberty’.
Since then, the vaccine rollout has seen COVID-19 all but disappear on many islands. As the country reopens for visitors, we’ve compiled a list of six COVID-free hidden gems to add to your travel list.
