Georgian Economy Minister: ‘ban on regular flights may be extended until the end of July’
The Georgian capital of Tbilisi has been named the safest place to travel in Europe in 2020 amongst the cities selected by European Best Destinations, a travel website developed to promote culture and tourism in Europe. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The ban on regular flights may be extended until the end of July due to the rapid increase in the number of new coronavirus cases in neighboring countries, Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava said earlier today.
Turnava mentioned that the main task for the Georgian government is to strengthen the gains made in properly managing the epidemiological situation and protecting the population.
The government will be very careful with international visitors and tourists in July as well. There will be different rules for business visitors and students. We are waiting for the decision of the European Union, which has just opened borders between its member states and soon it will make decisions for non-member countries as well. We have to prolong the ban on regular flights until the end of July, though Georgia will not restrict charter flights”, said Turnava.
Georgia has completely shut down air traffic in the country on March 21 in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Since late March Georgia has carried out over 60 charter flights to evacuate thousands of Georgians from abroad amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The Georgian government has announced a temporary, two-week closure of its borders for all foreign citizens, with exceptions, to avoid the further spread of the Covid-19 virus. The ban will come into effect starting March 18, at 00:00. The government says that Georgian citizens [and their family members] who want to come back to the country will be able to use the flights of Georgian Airways or Turkish Airlines.
Tourists entering Georgia may be obliged to show documents that they tested negative for Covid-19 with PCR tests in the last 72 hours before arriving in the country, said Head of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze.
Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava is promoting Georgia as a safe destination for international travellers, as an internationally acclaimed and successful country in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Georgian ambassadors abroad are also involved in this process and are spreading the message of 'Georgia as a safe tourism destination' in their respective host countries.
Georgia has evacuated 10,115 Georgian citizens from abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic. Georgia has carried out 61 special flights to bring back Georgians from abroad. Georgia has carried out 61 special flights to evacuate Georgians from abroad amid the coronavirus outbreak, said Foreign Minister Zaklaliani earlier today.
Regular international flights will not resume in Georgia until August 1, announces the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency. The Civil Aviation Agency calls on citizens not to buy tickets until the exact date of the resumption of international flights is not announced by 'official sources'. Earlier today the Economy Minister of Georgia Natia Turnava announced that the ban on regular flights may be extended until the end of July.
Georgia is on a draft list of countries that will be allowed to enter the European Union starting July 1 when the bloc's international borders are scheduled to open, reports Euronews.
Nothing threatens the relations of Georgia and the European Union due to the ban on transport amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said earlier today.
Restrictions on flights between Tbilisi and three European cities will be removed next week, the government has announced, with connections to Munich, Paris and Riga set to be exempted from the ongoing limits on international travel starting July 13.