ATHENS — Greece remains vigilant and "will do whatever necessary to defend our sovereign rights" if Turkey persists in repeating challenging behavior, government spokesman Stelios Petsas told Alpha TV station on Friday.

On tourism, Petsas said that the government will apply targeted testing for coronavirus for incoming tourists, "to ensure the situation does not get out of hand if infections occur." Health centers have been supported, particularly on small islands, to enable the immediate isolation of infected people, he said, while further clarifications will be issued by the Health Ministries and the Civil Protection General Secretariat next week.

Greece cannot expect 33 million tourists this year, but several of those who don't come this year may see the new advertisement on social media and come the next year or later. "What is important is that they connect Greece with summer," he said.