Turkish Tourists Want To Visit Greece Visa-Free

Greece, as a Schengen country, cannot unilaterally abolish visa procedures as this requires a joint decision from all of the Schengen countries, Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas said in a recent interview to Turkish daily newspaper Sabah.

Mr. Droutsas was asked if Greece was considering raising facilitation of the visa process for Turkish citizens who wish to make a 24-hour visit to the Greek islands.

“This request doesn’t come just from Turkish citizens, but also from the residents of the Greek islands,” the journalist pointed out.

The Greek alternate foreign minister said that instructions have been given to Greek Consulates in Turkey to be as flexible as possible within the framework of the existing limitations, so that visas for Turkish passports can be issued within 24 hours.

“We will repeat the effort we have made in the past and raise this matter with our partners in the European Union so that we can facilitate day trips to Greek islands without many bureaucratic hurdles,”  Mr. Droutsas said.

“Development of tourism is in our countries’ mutual interests, and it will be worthwhile for us to find ways to cooperate more closely,” he concluded.