Covid-19, Crisis, EU – Baltic States, Lithuania, Tourism, Transport

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 10:37

Lithuania’s govt to decide on restricting travel to Romania and Bulgaria

BC, Vilnius, 08.07.2020.Print version
Lithuania’s government should on Wednesday discuss a proposal to ban entry into Lithuania for foreigners arriving from Romania and Bulgaria and to impose a 14-day self-isolation requirement for the Lithuanian citizens returning from these countries, which have recently seen an increase in COVID-19 cases, informed LETA/BNS.

“The Health Ministry is monitoring the situation in Bulgaria and Romania. The current morbidity indicators in these countries are worrying. No decisions have been taken as regards these countries as yet but the government is likely to discuss this issue on Wednesday,” the press service of the Health Ministry told LETA/BNS.


Economy and Innovation Minister Rimantas Sinkevicius also warned that Lithuania’s citizens traveling to certain Balkan countries might encounter difficulties.


“We want to warn about the Balkan countries, which, as shown by statistics, have recently been recording more coronavirus cases, so that people would know that it might be better not to travel there in order to avoid potential difficulties with transport on their way back to Lithuania or with potential self-isolation upon return…We want to warn in advance so that tour operators could notify their customers about such potential developments,” he told.


The ministry’s representatives would discuss this situation with tour operators on Wednesday, the minister added.


Milda Plepyte-Rainiene, managing director of the Lithuanian Tourism Association, described potential restrictions on travel to Romania and Bulgaria as a big loss for tour operators.

She emphasized, however, that tour operators would comply with the guidelines of the authorities if it became apparent that travel to those countries was unsafe.


Lithuania currently offers charter flights to Bulgaria and Greece as well as regular flights to Croatia and Cyprus.


Foreigners from Sweden, Luxembourg and Portugal are currently banned from coming to Lithuania, based on the list approved by Lithuanian Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga on Friday.

Foreigners coming from Romania, Bulgaria, the UK and the Czech Republic are recommended to self-isolate.






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