H ταξιδιωτική Οδηγία των ΗΠΑ, όπως έχει αναρτηθεί τις 12 /3/2009 στην ιστοσελίδα του Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών στων ΗΠΑ www.state.gov, www.travel.state.gov αναφέρει, μεταξύ άλλων, συγκεκριμένα και τα ακόλουθα :
Στις περιοχές της Ομόνοιας και των Εξαρχείων υπάρχει υψηλός κίνδυνος ταραχών από εγκληματικά και πολιτικώς υποκινούμενα άτομα. Το προσωπικό της Πρεσβείας των ΗΠΑ και των οικογενειών τους παροτρύνονται ισχυρώς να αποφεύγουν αυτές τις περιοχές από τις 9μμ μέχρι το πρωί. (The Omonia and Exharchia areas of Athens are at particular risk for crime and politically-motivated violence; U.S. Embassy personnel and their families have been urged strongly to avoid these areas between 9 pm and dawn).
Συμφωνίες ελεύθερης διάβασης των συνόρων, τα ανοιχτά σύνορα της Ελλάδας με τους Ευρωπαίους της γείτονές της, επιτρέπουν την πιθανότητα σε ομάδες τρομοκρατών να μπαινοβγαίνουν στη χώρα με ανωνυμία. Όπως συμβαίνει με τα πρώτα σημεία εισόδου του συμφώνου Σέγκεν από νότιες και ανατολικές προελεύσεις, η μακριά ιστογραμμή της Ελλάδος και τα πολλά νησιά επίσης υποκρύπτουν την πιθανότητα εισόδου ξένων τρομοκρατών που μπορεί να εκμεταλλεύονται τα σύνορα της Ελλάδος. (Agreement for free cross-border movement, Greece’s open borders with its European neighbours allow the possibility of terrorist groups entering/exiting the country with anonymity. As the first entry point into Schengen from points south and east, Greece’s long coastline and many islands also heighten the possibility that foreign-based terrorists might try to exploit Greece’s borders).
Η οδηγία αναφέρει τα ακόλουθα :
March 12, 2009
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Greece is a developed and stable democracy with a modern economy. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Greece for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Greece is a party to the Schengen agreement. As such, U.S. citizens may enter Greece for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. The passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. For further details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen fact sheet. For other entry requirements, travelers should contact the Embassy of Greece at 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, telephone (202) 939-5800, or Greek consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Tampa, New York, and San Francisco, and Greek embassies and consulates around the world.
Holders of official or diplomatic passports visiting Greece as tourists must obtain visas prior to arrival. Visit the Embassy of Greece web site for the most current visa information
Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information Sheet.
SAFETY AND SECURITY: The U.S. Government remains deeply concerned about the heightened threat of terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. Like other countries that are members of the Schengen Agreement for free cross-border movement, Greece’s open borders with its European neighbors allow the possibility of terrorist groups entering/exiting the country with anonymity. As the first entry point into Schengen from points south and east, Greece’s long coastline and many islands also heighten the possibility that foreign-based terrorists might try to exploit Greece’s borders. Domestic terrorist organizations such as Revolutionary Struggle and “Sect of Revolutionaries” have become increasingly active against both domestic and foreign targets in Greece. Recent attacks and attempted attacks have included the use of Molotov cocktails (gasoline bombs), small arms and rifle fire, and improvised explosive devices, the largest being a 50-kilo car bomb which failed to detonate before the police arrived. The Greek police forces, other Greek governmental agencies, private American and Greek businesses, and the United States Embassy have been attacked in the last three years. Recent actions indicate that the perpetrators are indiscriminate. The risk of “being in the wrong place at the wrong time” in the event of a terrorist action is a concern for residents and visitors. U.S. tourists or residents in Greece should remain vigilant, exercise caution, and monitor local developments.
Some current terrorist organizations are aligned with the ideology of the older Marxist terrorist group November 17 (N17) which targeted Greek businessmen and officials, as well as officials from NATO countries in Greece, from the mid-1970s until the early part of this decade. N17 terrorists murdered 23 people, including five U.S. Government employees.
Strikes and demonstrations are a regular occurrence. Greece is a stable democracy and these activities for the most part are orderly and lawful. However, a wave of incidents started when a teenager was shot and killed in an encounter with the police in December 2008. Incidents occurred throughout Greece, but the primary sources of violence were in Athens and Thessaloniki, Protestors there engaged in violent confrontations with the police and carried out destructive vandalism and rioting in localized areas, some of which are areas frequented by tourists, injuring numerous police officers. Riot control procedures often include the use of tear gas. Visitors should keep abreast of news about demonstrations from local news sources and hotel security. When there are demonstrations, visitors should be aware of and avoid places where demonstrators frequently congregate, such as the Polytechnic University area, Exarchia, Omonia, and Syntagma Squares in Athens, and Aristotle Square in Thessaloniki. The Omonia and Exharchia areas of Athens are at particular risk for crime and politically-motivated violence; U.S. Embassy personnel and their families have been urged strongly to avoid these areas between 9 pm and dawn. University campuses are exploited as refuges by anarchists and those involved in crime and Greek police are generally prohibited from entering their premises. Information regarding demonstrations which have been brought to the attention of the U.S. Embassy can be found on the Embassy web site.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s A Safe Trip Abroad.
CRIME: Crimes against tourists (such as purse-snatching and pick-pocketing) have occurred at popular tourist sites and on crowded public transportation. Pick-pocketing is especially common on the Athens metro and in some shopping areas in and around Thessaloniki. Reports of date or acquaintance rape also occasionally occur. The majority of these offenses take place on the islands. The usual safety precautions practiced in any urban or tourist area should be practiced during a visit to Greece.
In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law. In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines. More information on this serious problem is available from the U.S. Department of Justice
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