ATHENS — Tourism "is not a matter of political controversy, it is a national issue and this crisis must be addressed seriously, responsibly, not carelessly, while financial and institutional support must be provided by planning, in consultation with the people of the industry," main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras said on Wednesday during his meeting with the President of the Association of Hellenic Tourism Industries, Giannis Retsos.

Tsipras criticised the government for handling the resumption of tourist activity "with sloppiness and irresponsibility."

He reiterated SYRIZA's key proposals for supporting tourism and called on the government to take back the ministerial decision of the Ministries of Economy, Tourism and Health, which provides for "quarantine rooms in each hotel unit, in each tourist unit separately and specifically one for [hotels with] up to 10 rooms, two for [hotels with] up to 50 rooms and 3 pct for more than 50 rooms."

He spoke of "another decision that could be disastrous," adding that the government should take it back and focus on separate units for quarantine cases, if needed.