In a televised address to the nation, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced measures that will aid Greece’s economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, including re-opening the country’s borders to international travelers.

The headline that Greece is opening quickly circulated throughout the world on social media and online newspapers. But the prime minister did not specify which international visitors would be allowed into the country.

In a later press conference, Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis said that, before the end of May, the government will release the list of countries whose citizens can enter Greece beginning on July 1.

Officials said they will base their decision on “epidemiological criteria” which will be determined by Greece’s scientists and health experts. Nations with “negative epidemiological characteristics” will be excluded from the initial list of countries.

Theocharis specifies this detail in his report where it appears on the 10th slide of the presentation (pictured below) about re-opening Greece for tourism.

Greek officials said that, contrary to numerous reports and an initial request from the government itself, Greece will not require COVID-19 origin testing. Officials will instead enforce random spot checks throughout the country.

Download Greece’s full “Restart Tourism” plan here

Featured image courtesy of Nick Karvounis on Unsplash.