Aug 7, 2024
“Greeks should have summer vacations in the village, not on the islands,” deputy Migration Minister Sofia Vultepsi said on Wednesday, clearly implying that the islands are no longer for Greeks who can’t afford the high transport prices but for the tourists.
“There is a problem on the islands, people can go on holiday to the village to the inland,” she arrogantly claimed in an interview with Open TV.
Voultepsi’s proposal came amid a big discussion that many Greeks cannot go on vacation this year due to high prices in transport and accommodation especially on the islands.
Already in June and through its affiliated mass media, the government propaganda started to praise the Staycation, that is a holiday spent in one’s home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.
“Certainly for the whole world vacations are problematic, that’s why we’ve seen for many years now the pensioners of Germany, let’s say, coming to Greece who have two pensions, they’re saving. (…)”, she said and emphasized that “This should not happen because holidays are also a human right”.
She then stated that “people find ways out, without saying that there shouldn’t be a solution. They may go to the village, they may go inland. There is definitely an issue on the islands and more solutions must be found.”
“All countries have poor people, there is no ideal situation,” Voultepsi added.
The deputy minister’s statements triggered a wave of outrage with biting, insulting and swearing comments on social media.
Holidays at home for 1 in 4
Vultepsi’s statements come at a time when, according to the figures of the European Trade Union Confederation, almost 40 million Europeans cannot take even a week’s vacation because of high prices.
According to the collected data, 25% of Greeks stay at home and spend their summer in the city this year.
Together with Cypriots, Greeks occupy the second position of citizens who are unable to pay the exorbitant costs for summer vacations.
However, even those who manage to take a vacation, choose nearby destinations and chase the discounts and special offers.
However, year after year, more and more households find it difficult to take vacations, which is also seen in hotel reservations, which show a decrease.
It should be noted that the tourist sector in destinations popular by Greeks for summer vacation has been complaining about a sharp drop in revenues.
PS sadly, deputy minister Voultepsi did not specify the village I should have my august vacations and I feel kind of lost…
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