Greece complains to US over visitor checks
Athens has complained to the US Embassy in response to new regulations obliging Greeks to be fingerprinted and photographed upon entry to America, government spokesman Christos Protopapas said yesterday. The new measure, intended to fight terrorism, came into effect on Monday and applies to nationals of all countries that need a visa to visit the US. Protopapas said the government was accelerating procedures for a new passport-issuing system, and that once this is in place «there will no longer be any need for the US to implement such a measure.» Passports are currently issued by prefectural authorities. In the future, the responsibility will pass to the police. The complaint was lodged with the embassy’s charge d’affaires earlier this week due to Ambassador Thomas Miller’s absence, Protopapas said.
