This week, tourists visiting the Greek city of Athens were surprised by notices at the entrance of local accommodation buildings warning of an alleged bedbug epidemic.
One of the messages was posted on Monday, December 4, in the Exarchia neighborhood. A day later, the country’s Ministry of Health issued a statement saying the messages were false and said it was working with authorities to try to find those responsible.
according to news agency linked sReeseTourism is one of the main sources of income for the Greek economy, and the number of stays during 2023 is likely to reach record values. On the other hand, the arrival of tourists has raised house rental prices and forced many residents to leave central Athens. Visas gold, Which allows the residence of foreign investors, and has also contributed to the rise in real estate prices.
The Ministry refutes the bedbug hoax in the Exarchia area of Athens https://t.co/vaRanczwjM pic.twitter.com/5gqa6x7ZNq
-English edition of Kathimerini (@ekathimerini) December 5, 2023
The agency also writes that the notice holders pretended to be the Greek Ministry of Health and wrote letters in English, albeit misspelled, addressed to “dear visitors,” explaining that health authorities had ordered people removed from “the homes of special guests” in order to “protect the public health of Greek tenants.” To give credibility to the message, they used logos from the Ministry and the Municipality of Athens and informed that anyone who did not comply with the order would face a fine of 500 euros. In conclusion, they wished him a good stay.
The ministry stressed in the statement that no one has the right to “terrorize and mislead” the population. Regarding the phenomenon of bedbugs, a phenomenon that has plagued streets, public transport and monuments in Paris, and has also been recorded in Guimarães, the Greek government says they do not exist in the country.
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