The European Commission rejected the extension of a visa facilitation pilot program that allowed Turkish nationals to travel to Greek islands without applying for a visa at Greek consulates.
According to the program, Turkish tourists who wished to visit the islands of Lesvos, Rhodes, Kos, Samos, Chios, Symi and Kastellorizo for a limited period of time could issue visas at the ports of these islands. The measure was introduced in an effort to boost tourism revenues.
In a joint press release, Lesvos’ Chamber of Commerce, the Union of Tourism, Travel and Shipping Agents and island’s Hoteliers Association criticized the government’s response, “It appears that the European Commission decided to eliminate the islands of the Eastern Aegean and especially Lesvos and punish them. In other words, some people decided that the islands of the eastern Aegean and Lesvos can only receive migrants and refugees but not tourists. Why are the islands treated like this after carrying the burden of the refugee problem with humanity?”
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