The European Commission has agreed to extend the simplified visa regime for third-country nationals in Turkey planning to visit the Greek Aegean islands for 2018, the press service of the Greek Foreign Ministry reported, Interfax-Tourism reports.
"The European Commission agrees to the application in 2018 of a simplified visa system for Turkish tourists and third-country nationals who are legally present in Turkey and wish to visit the Greek Aegean islands," the statement said.
The system was launched in 2012. It allows tourists on the Aegean coast of Turkey who want to visit the Dodecanese islands – Kos, Rhodes, Lesbos and others – to arrive there by ferry from the Turkish ports of Bodrum and Marmaris and get a visa on the spot. The cost of a single visa is 35 euros, but it is not a Schengen visa and does not apply to the rest of Greece and the European Union.
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) told the Interfax-Tourism portal that from April to mid-November, a large number of tourists arrive on ferries from Turkey - both Turks and citizens of third countries, primarily Russia and Iran.
However, according to ATOR, the European Union is reluctant to extend such a simplified regime for the Greeks, fearing complications with illegal migrants traveling through Turkey from Syria, Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries. In particular, in 2017, the European Commission wanted to suspend the issuance of short-term visas, which caused protests from the Greek tourism business and the Turkish authorities.
“The resumption of the program is a critical issue for the islands’ economy and is constantly being raised by businesses and local authorities,” the Greek Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Source: trn-news.ru