In an interview with Business Daily, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis discussed the Blue Carpet Policy and the new visa for digital nomads. “With the Blue Carpet Policy, we are rolling out an investment carpet for Greece,” Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis stressed in an interview with Business Daily, referring to the government’s comprehensive plan for attracting digital nomads, who, he underscored, will not only benefit the economy, but will also spread innovation in cutting-edge tech. The central axis of the Blue Carpet Policy will be facilitations for those applying for entry visas. As the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed, two forms of visa have already been established for students and businesspeople, and the Foreign Ministry is now completing the procedures for establishing a special visa for digital nomads, which will be valid for a year and extendible for another year. Applicants for the digital nomad visa will have to prove that they have a monthly income of at least €3,500 and guarantees of employment to ensure that they are in fact coming to Greece to provide services for an employer abroad. “In no case will these persons be pursuing Greek jobs, and there will be clear provisions in place to avoid such cases,” Mr. Varvitsiotis clarified. Regarding tourism, Mr. Varvitsiotis underscored that the European Union has adopted Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ proposal for a European vaccination certificate, but noted that Greece is looking forward to tourist traffic from outside the EU, so the goal is to accept third-country vaccination certificates, as already agreed with Israel. Full text of the interview: What does the Blue Carpet Policy involve? The Blue Carpet Policy is a comprehensive policy from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enhance Greece’s openness and attract international investors, and it reflects the government’s planning for strengthening Greece’s international brand identity. It is based on three axes: 1. Modernization of the visa framework, 2. Digitalisation of control and issuance procedures and 3. Investment in the Foreign Ministry’s human resources.With regard to the new visas, we have already established two new forms of entry visa – student and business. And we are now close to establishing another form of visa, the digital nomad visa, which is designed to attract the large numbers of people who now work digitally. Our planning includes two more types of visa: a medical visa and a national residence permit for major investors. How will the country benefit from attracting digital nomads? Attracting employees and self-employed persons from outside the EU, who can work remotely from anywhere – digital nomads – is a challenge for us. A challenge we want to meet. We are currently shaping an institutional framework so that, beyond our country’s natural beauty, we can achieve strategic advantages that make us a strong destination for the world’s digital nomads. Within the EU, Estonia and Croatia have already developed such legislation. We think that this reform, which requires coordination and cooperation between ministries and state services, can secure a large share of the profits for Greece. But the benefits go beyond the welcome, but short-term, influx of currency and daily consumption digital nomads will bring to the market. Our goal is to spread innovation in cutting-edge tech sectors, making Greece a ‘tech crossroads’, a strong, hybrid community of professionals, Greeks and foreigners, who revitalize the market with fresh ideas and best practices. By attracting the best, we make ourselves better. Who will be eligible for a ‘digital visa’? What will the criteria be? The digital visa is for employees or self-employed people who work abroad, remotely. In no case will these persons be pursuing Greek jobs, and there will be clear provisions in place to avoid such cases. In line with international best practices, applicants will have to show adequate finances, with a minimum monthly income of €3,500 and the requisite guarantees of employment. This will rule out the chance of this visa being used as a cover for irregular migration or illegal labour that harms Greece’s workforce. What we are talking about is third-country citizens with a high level of expertise in new technologies and with increased mobility, who, following Brexit and the re-linking of Europe and America, will want to come to our country with a laptop and continue to work remotely in their sectors and businesses. Are you considering encouraging digital nomads to go to areas outside Athens to create tech communities? Will there be initiatives to improve the networks in such places? The level of telecommunications, digitalisation of services, infrastructure and the cost of living, as well as quality of life, are key criteria in digital nomads’ choice of where to stay. In terms of telecommunications, in particular, we are at the stage of transition to 5G networks. Technological development in the various regions of Greece is also among the government’s goals. Important steps of strategic importance have already been taken, and various areas of Greece will benefit. Thessaloniki is a favourite destination for digital nomads. Astypalaia, with the VW investment, will spearhead innovation. Thanks to the comprehensive initiatives of the local government, Trikala became the country’s first digital city. What we need to do is simplify the legal framework that will allow international digital nomads to benefit from this new infrastructure. Our policy is supporting the efforts of local communities. At the same time, adding investment incentives to our new initiatives is another goal that has the potential to spread the benefits of openness throughout Greece, so that all of Greek society can enjoy them. With the Blue Carpet Policy, we are rolling out an investment carpet for Greece. Given that most digital nomads want AirBnB-type short-term rentals, will they be given incentives to look seek longer-term rentals? Our policy is designed to enable non-EU digital nomads to say in Greece for longer periods of time. Our country has a great deal of experience in services, and we believe it can host the tech workforce. We plan to establish a digital nomad visa that is valid for 1+1 years. In other words, a one-year visa with an option to renew. This option will also boost the home rental market. Given that this directly concerns the whole of society, we intend to bring local administrations, market organizations and commercial chambers into the debate and planning. We want our policy to have the greatest possible penetration, so we want to use all of the stakeholders. Will the tech hubs hosting digital nomads be boosted? The goal is to boost Greece’s whole tech community. In spite of the long crisis out country went through, startups have flourished over the past decade. Through the Recovery Fund and the European Budget – with emphasis on digital transformation – support for startups will be a priority. And as a government, we have proven that we are bringing about the critical digital transformation along with the shift towards a clean, sustainable economy – two components of innovative entrepreneurship in Greece and Europe. Europe has accepted the issuing of vaccination certificates, but there is no agreement on how to use them to facilitate travel across borders. Is Greece prepared to go beyond the European framework and conclude inter-state agreements like the one with Israel? The proposal from Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for a common vaccination certificate met with wide acceptance. As Ursula von der Leyen has announced, the EU is scheduled to adopt the ‘digital green pass’ on 17 March, and that will facilitate movement across borders within the EU. At the same time, Greece is looking forward to tourist traffic from outside the EU. This is why we want to ensure that we will be able to accept digital vaccination certificates from third countries as well. On his recent trip to Tel Aviv, the prime minister stressed that Israel is expected to be the first country able to offer such a certificate for travel to Greece. This could be a ‘test case’ for dealing with other countries. Our goal is for the tourism season to open in May and for Greece to be able to receive its visitors in safety.
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