Romania and Greece to Reach Bilateral Travel Arrangement and Open up to Tourists From Mid-April
Romania and Greece are in talks to reach a joint agreement by accepting each other’s vaccine certificates in order to open up tourism between both countries as soon as possible.
In this regard, Greece’s Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis stressed that it is eager to open the country’s doors to Romanian tourists before the European Union agrees on launching its own vaccine passports, AtoZSerwisPlus.ro reports.
“We really want the EU to step up the procedure to release that EU health certificate. But until then, we want to have discussions with the Romanian minister for tourism so that we can accept tourists even before reaching an agreement at a European level,” Theocharis pointed out.
Greek Tourism Minister added that the country is working on accepting vaccine passports issued by authorities in Romania.
He previously stressed that the country expects to start welcoming tourists from Romania from mid-April, a month before Greece’s announcement to open up to tourists, on May 14.
Theocharis also emphasized that all persons who have taken the vaccine against the Coronavirus and those who have antibodies or show a negative result of the COVID-19 would be permitted to travel to Greece from mid-May.
Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced that it banned international flights until March 22 due to the Coronavirus pandemic situation in other countries. However, it clarified that citizens wishing to travel for any important reason could continue to do so, despite the ban.
At present, only residents from the European Union, together with travellers from Australia, Rwanda, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, and those coming from the United Arab Emirates, will be eligible to enter Greece.
Still, they must follow seven days of quarantine rules upon their arrival. They also must present a negative result of the Coronavirus test, not older than 72 hours, and fill the Passenger Locator Form.
Romania’s Tourism Minister, Claudiu Nasui, said that the country’s authorities would take the final decision regarding the issue, “but this is the direction which we will be taking.”
Greece was home to more than a million Romanian visitors each year before the Coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
The European Union’s Commission previously unfolded its plans regarding the launching of Digital Green Certificates, which would facilitate the travelling process for all vaccinated persons and help the tourism sector recover from the COVID-19 damages.
However, EC confirmed that digital green certificates would be used only within the European Union, initially, without providing any information regarding third countries.
Last year, when the COVID-19 started to attack countries worldwide, an European Union official stressed that when vaccines against the disease would begin to roll out in the countries in Europe, travellers would be obliged to have a vaccine passport if they wish to travel to any Schengen Zone country.
According to the EU official, another mandatory requirement for all passengers wishing to travel abroad would become the testing process.
Currently, European countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Hungary, Greece, Iceland, and some other states supported the launching of Digital Green Certificates.
