Emma McClarkin MEP offers advice to holiday-makers travelling to Greece

East Midlands MEP Emma McClarkin has today warned of the pitfalls of travelling to Greece this summer, with a potential ‘Grexit’ on the horizon.

On the 5th July Greece will hold a referendum on whether to accept the conditions of the Eurozone members or not, in order to receive the next instalment of their bailout. In recent times Greece has made large steps to amend and resuscitate its economy. However, the new Greek government’s proposals fail to accept that further large structural steps need to be taken.

Miss McClarkin said:

“Greece has a long history of failing to crack down on tax evasion and carry out the structural reforms that many other countries have done.”

Speaking ahead of the weekend vote, Miss McClarkin argued that the radical-left government in Greece needed to face facts and realise that the requests placed on their public sector are not unreasonable; the rest of the EU cannot continue funding a nation that is clearly inefficient in its public finances.

However, she added that she is fully supportive of the call to a referendum, saying:

“The Greeks have a difficult decision to make but at least the Greek people will get their chance to decide their own fate. The referendum is not too dissimilar from our own, in which we will decide how our relationship with the EU will work.

Whilst the UK economy is not at risk should Greece default – as highlighted by Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England – any knock on effect on the Eurozone puts UK growth at jeopardy and we should be concerned.

Advice from the Foreign Office to holiday-makers travelling to Greece is simple: take enough holiday money with you to cover your stay, including provision for emergencies. Be extra-vigilant, as thieves may target holiday-makers more than normal, and don’t rely on cash machines.

Speaking from Brussels, Miss McClarkin added:

“Holidaymakers need to be aware of the limited resources that could be available in Greece this summer, be it banks or public services. Advice is to take enough cash with you in small denominations to cover emergencies, and check what your insurance policy covers. In theory, holiday-makers can still withdraw up to €600 a day, but this won’t be possible if the banks run out of cash, as some people are predicting.”