The World is Encapsulating, the MFA Announced New Restrictions

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced current measures and restrictions on movement within Europe and around the world:

Estonia - Since March 17, Estonia has closed its borders to foreigners. Measures are in place to allow Estonians or residence permit holders to enter the country. Procedures have also been established for crossing national borders during restrictions. Only Estonian citizens and residents of Estonia with a residence or residence permit will be able to enter Estonia for the foreseeable future, including holders of the so-called gray passports. A foreign national who has no symptoms of the disease and whose close relative is an Estonian citizen or a person with a right of residence may enter the country under the special permission of the police. Foreigners who need to enter Estonia for international military cooperation will also be granted access. The international carriage of goods, including food and medical products, is authorized to enter Estonia. Additional access will be provided to people providing vital services such as fuel providers.

Russian Aeroflot will stop flights between Moscow and Tallinn from Thursday, March 19th to April 30th. Finnair, the largest airline in Finland, will cancel flights to Estonia from Tuesday 17 March.

Turkey - Following an interview with our Ambassador to Ankara, information has emerged that a set of measures is being applied to the international truck drivers in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic along the Turkish borders. These measures envisage that the drivers - nationals of Germany, Spain, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, China, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Singapore to be restricted entering Turkish territory and to be returned as "unwanted passengers" (INAD). In addition, it is explicitly mentioned that at present Bulgaria and Greece are not on this list of countries. Drivers who are third-country nationals or who have been in one of the above countries for the last 14 days will be quarantined. After the end of the 14-day quarantine period and after medical examination to confirm the absence of symptoms of the virus, the drivers will be allowed to enter Turkey. Trucks are subjected to a thorough disinfection procedure and released after 6 hours.

Drivers - third-country nationals who have not been to any of the countries mentioned above are allowed to enter Turkey after disinfection and a quarantine stay of 6 hours.

For example, if a Bulgarian national driver who was not in the countries mentioned above will be allowed into Turkish territory after the proper disinfection procedure has been completed. If he was in one of the listed countries (eg Italy), he will be able to cross the Turkish border after a 14-day quarantine period and disinfection.

Drivers - Turkish nationals are admitted across borders, provided they have not developed the typical virus symptoms and after undergoing special medical examination and disinfection.

Israel - Additional measures have been put in place in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Israel, to close all kindergartens, significantly reduce the number of staff in the workplace; limiting public transport: reducing the number of passengers on buses and trains; Hasharon Hospital in Petah Tikva will be turned into a special hospital to deal with the coronavirus; greater restrictions on public meetings.

The government approved emergency measures by allowing the Shin Bet National Security Service to track the cell phones of coronavirus infected people and those who had been in contact with them in the last 14 days before being diagnosed. The measure will be effective for 30 days and must be approved by the relevant Knesset parliamentary committee.

Lebanon - Following the state of emergency declared on March 15, 2020, the following measures apply:

- Obligation of citizens not to leave their homes, except in cases of special need; Beirut International Airport, as well as all air, ground and sea entry and exit points in Lebanon, will be closed from 00.00 on March 26, with the measure in force until 00.00 on March 29.

Iran - There are currently no open border checkpoints with neighboring countries that can be used by Bulgarian citizens to return to Bulgaria. Despite Qatar's forthcoming ban on foreign nationals, Qatar airlines continue to operate scheduled flights once a day on the Doha-Tehran-Doha route. In addition to three flights a week on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday to Frankfurt, Iran Air operates three flights a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to Paris and three flights a week on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

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