A significant regulatory change granting Turkish citizens exemption from Schengen visa requirements to visit Greek islands in the Aegean Sea has been hailed as a pivotal step in strengthening friendship and collaboration between the two nations, according to the Greek deputy foreign minister.
Having obtained approval from the European Commission in late 2023, Greece has opted to permit Turkish citizens to travel to 10 Greek islands with a visa-on-arrival option for a period of seven days.
In an interview with the daily Hürriyet, Kostas Frangogiannis underscored the paramount importance of this initiative for both Turkey and the Greek islands in bolstering a dynamic tourism sector year-round.
“This initiative also sends a strong message, underscoring a fundamental truth: The Greek islands serve as a communication and friendship conduit between the two peoples,” Frangogiannis remarked.
Delving into the economic and trade relations between the two countries, Frangogiannis elaborated on the objective to elevate the current bilateral trade volume of 5 million euros ($5,403,000) to 10 billion euros within the next five years.
“This objective relies on expanding trade, sharing knowledge, expertise, and resources, as well as embarking on joint projects in Greece, Turkey, and even in third countries,” he asserted.
At the sixth Turkey-Greece Joint Economic Commission Meeting and Business Forum held last week, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akçapar met with Frangogiannis.
Foreseeing a rise in the number of 61 Greek companies operating in Turkey, Frangogiannis emphasized that one of the agreed-upon measures with Akçapar is the establishment of a new framework for collaboration.
“This initiative will be supervised and facilitated by prominent businessmen from both countries, overseeing progress in various sectors such as energy, transportation, and commerce.”
“In essence, these concerted efforts aim not only to strengthen the bonds between Turkey and Greece but also to foster collaboration, extending beyond the realm of tourism into broader economic and trade endeavors,” he concluded.
