Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told CNN that the success of containing the Covid-19 pandemic in Greece so far and this recognition internationally was a sentiment shared by the public, noting that Greeks "haven't felt this proud in a long time."
In an interview with Nic Robertson in Athens on Monday, Mitsotakis said that although the upcoming summer will be very different, citizens have now developed a new trust in the state and in health experts.
"It will be a very different summer. But we hope the worst is behind us. Again, what I hold as the legacy of this crisis is the sense of collective success. And I dare say the word pride. Greeks haven't felt this proud in a long time," the PM emphasised.
Speaking about tourism, Greece's heavy summer industry, the Greek PM said that the best-case scenario is Greece opening for tourism as of July 1, even though the exact date also depends on airlines and the implementation of strict health protocols in foreign flights.
"Suppose people take a test before flying (either an antibody test or a molecular test) and then there will be close monitoring. And then of course, the tourism experience this summer may be slightly different from what you’ve had in previous years, with more social distancing, maybe no bars open but you can still get a fantastic experience in Greece provided that the global epidemic is on a downward path. But in the best case scenario, Greece will be open for tourism from July 1, and we are working in that direction. Therefore, we are preparing for this. But it is certainly related to airlines, as most people come to Greece by air. And it is also related to very strict and applicable protocols."
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