Wanting to put an end to rumors that Covid-19 vaccination will be the exclusive prerequisite for travel to Greece, the minister told Thema 104.6FM that no hotel in the country will refuse hospitality to a visitor that has not been vaccinated.
“The prerequisite for someone to travel to our country (and stay) will be the negative molecular test or the certificate of vaccination,”
Theoharis said, adding that if someone does not want to show their vaccination certificate when entering Greece, they can present a negative coronavirus test.
“In any case, personal data will be protected,” the minister said.
The idea behind travelers holding vaccination certificates is for them to be able to move freely within European countries, without restrictions such as being obliged to undergo Covid-19 testing.
On the other hand, unvaccinated citizens will be obliged to present a negative PCR test or antigen test at border points (and possibly undergo quarantine depending on a country’s rules).
Greece has already discussed the introduction of a vaccination certificate with Israel, Cyprus and Serbia to enable restriction-free admission to travelers.
It is reminded that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had proposed to the European Commission the establishment of an EU-wide vaccination certificate to facilitate travel in Europe.
For now, member states have agreed on a set of guidelines that will allow for the establishment of an EU-wide accepted vaccination certificate to be used for “medical purposes”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently said that the Greek PM’s proposal will be discussed again.
It is noted that Greece has not set a date yet as of when vaccination certificates will be accepted for entry. Greece’s current rules for international arrivals can be found here.
Moreover, during the interview, Minister Theoharis expressed his optimism for tourism and said he expects 2021 to be a better year than 2020 was for Greece and estimated that travel may pick up after the Easter holiday.