The Foreign Ministry is doing everything in its power to facilitate the entry of prospective tourists into Greece, capitalizing on the facilitation potential provided for in EU legislation. In the context of these efforts, Greece’s consular authorities abroad have achieved the issuing of Schengen visas within 48 hours of the time of application, which puts our country in one of the top positions in the EU in terms of the speed with which such applications are processed.
The Schengen Treaty regulations have done away with passport control at the internal borders of member states participating in the Schengen strengthened cooperation. At the same time, however, there are increased obligations on the part of member states with regard to the correct implementation of the checks provided for, and particularly those on the European Union’s external borders.
Turkey is a major market for the Greek tourism industry, and at the same time it is included in the list of third countries whose citizens are obliged to hold a valid visa.
In the summer of 2012 – for the first time – Greece very successfully implemented a pilot programme for the simplification of the visa issuing process at border crossing points on 5 large islands in the Eastern Aegean. The Foreign Ministry is conferring with the European Commission so that we can look at the potential for taking similar measures for the 2013 tourist season.
However, it must be noted that the European Commission’s stance to date on the potential for implementing a similar pilot programme for issuing visas to third-country citizens upon their arrival at airports is negative. Mr. Kourkoulas agreed with MP Drivelegkas on the importance of simplifying passport visa controls with the aim of increasing tourist traffic towards Northern Greece, assuring him that the Foreign Ministry will continue its efforts in that direction.
Economic diplomacy, in the broadest sense of the term, is a top priority goal for the Foreign Ministry, and measures are being considered for the ongoing strengthening of tourist flows into Greece from major markets and emerging economies. In implementation of this goal, the Greek side firmly supports Russia’s desire for the liberalization of the visa regime between the EU and Russia, as was made clear during Foreign Minister Avramopoulos’s recent meeting with his Russian counterpart Mr. Lavrov.
It is worth noting that Greece and Russia are in the final stages of drawing up a draft joint communiqué expressing their intention to enhance their cooperation on freedom-of-movement issues, including the potential for granting long-term and multiple-entry visas.
December 13, 2012