Athens, 8 November 2021 (MIA) – Greece on Saturday introduced new measures making COVID-19 documents mandatory nearly everywhere in Greece. They are scanned via a special app, but the app doesn’t recognize certificates issued by third countries. According to MIA’s Athens correspondent, this has caused problems over the weekend for tourists from North Macedonia, Serbia, Singapore, the US and other countries that aren’t part of the European Union. However, this doesn’t mean that certificates issued by third countries aren’t valid, only that they will have to be presented in person instead of via the app. At the end of July, Greece’s Ministry of Tourism said that only the national certificate and the EU Digital Covid Certificate can be scanned via the ‘Covid Free GR’ app. Greek government spokesperson Ioannis Ikonomou told MIA’s Athens correspondent on Monday that even though they can’t be scanned, certificates issued by third countries are valid in Greece. “If it can’t be scanned, the document is presented in person. Visitors who are vaccinated and possess a vaccination certificate should be allowed entry everywhere certificates are required, regardless of the fact that the app doesn’t recognize their certificate due to technical reasons,” Ikonomou said during a press briefing. COVID-19 documents are now mandatory at nearly all indoor places in Greece, such as malls and shops, as well as the indoor and outdoor sections of cafes, restaurants, taverns, etc., with the exception of supermarkets, grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies and churches.