ATHENS: In a newspaper interview published on Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that Greece’s economy would not close again due to the coronavirus pandemic if it was only to safeguard an unvaccinated minority (Jul 4). Greece performed admirably in the COVID-19’s first wave last year. However, since November, a spike of COVID-19 infections has led the country to enforce lockdown restrictions, which have cost the economy billions of euros as it slowly recovers from a decade-long slump.
As infections decline, Greece has eased restrictions, but concerns about the spread of the more contagious Delta variety have grown.
The government this week offered young people cash and phone data to raise vaccination rates, despite the fact that only roughly 35% of the country’s 11 million inhabitants are completely vaccinated.
“There were no immunizations when we implemented uniform measures,” Mitsotakis told the Kathimerini newspaper. “Vaccines are currently available.” Mitsotakis stated that he is unable to make immunizations compulsory. “Everyone, on the other hand, accepts responsibility. The country will not be shut down again to protect a few unvaccinated people.”
Mitsotakis expressed optimism that relations between Greece and Turkey will improve this summer compared to last summer, when the two traditional adversaries came dangerously near to armed war.
Since then, the two NATO allies have been attempting to de-escalate tensions over rival territorial claims in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as the status of Cyprus.
Mitsotakis stated, “I am more confident that the summer of 2021 will be quieter than the summer of 2020.”
However, we have not resolved our issues overnight, and Turkey will face consequences if it chooses to escalate tensions, he continued./n
