Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-09-05
CONTENTS
[01] Valynakis on visas
[01] Valynakis on visas
Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valynakis announced that a Greek Visa
Centre will be operating in Moscow as of September 15. He was speaking
during an event held by the Panhellenic Hoteliers Federation and the
Federation of Tourist Businesses in Thessaloniki and with the
participation of tourist and hotel business representatives from
various prefectures.
The Centre will be operating in cooperation with a company that is also
cooperating with other cocuntries (VFS) and which will be issuing visas
in parallel to the Consulate in Moscow.
This process will enable the issuing of a visa in 48 hours (the
shortest period among all the European countries). The price of a visa
will remain 35 euros and those choosing the Greek Centre for its
issuing will be charged with the amount of 17.5 euros, which Valynakis
said is the lowest compared to other countries and which was set after
negotiations took place.
The deputy minister said that the operation of a corresponding Centre
in Kiev, in Ukraine, and in other cities in Russia, apart from Moscow,
as well as of other countries is already being considered.
The foreign ministry is heeding the signs of the times and the new
international trends, Valynakis said and noted that the government is
also responding to the claims of the tourist sector, that expects a
great deal from the market of Russia and of other countries of the
former Soviet Union.
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