The epidemic subsides, travel barriers remain

Photo: Free Press / Dragan Mitreski

Citizens are advised to check the specific conditions that the country sets for travelers before traveling to any EU country.

The European Union has decided to ease travel restrictions for Macedonian citizens, to which all 27 member states of the bloc have agreed, the health ministry said, adding that the EU decision comes after the epidemic situation in the country stabilized.

However, the official decision is expected in the coming days, when Macedonia will be removed from the list of countries in the red zone. However, in any case, before traveling to EU countries, all citizens are advised to check in each country individually, what are the requirements and conditions for travel. According to the current situation, it is not possible to enter the Netherlands directly with a Macedonian passport. Therefore, many citizens who want to watch the match of the Macedonian national football team, go to the Netherlands via Germany, but before entering the stadium 11 hours before, they must have a PCR test. Citizens also complain that due to non-compliance with covid protocols they were returned to the country from the Netherlands, after which they were fined 480 euros and banned from entering for several months.

The official website of the Dutch government states that safe countries whose citizens are welcome to travel in the country are Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Switzerland. Citizens of these countries do not need to take a PCR test or isolate themselves upon arrival in the Netherlands. For others, a 10-day quarantine and a mandatory PCR test are required, even though they have been vaccinated.

The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides recommendations for travel to several countries, many of which recommend not to travel. However, the announcements are that the EU should ease the restrictions on entry into several European countries for Macedonia.

Before traveling, it is recommended that every citizen see if the vaccines "Sputnik" and "Sinofarm" are recognized in the country where he travels. The reason is that these two vaccines have not been approved by the European Medicines Agency, and many EU member states and the Schengen area have decided not to recognize them. Iceland, for example, is the first country in Europe to open its borders to those vaccinated, but stressed that the open borders are only for those vaccinated with EMA and WHO-approved vaccines, ie only for those vaccinated with Pfizer and Astra "Woman." Greece, Slovenia, Hungary and Bulgaria, meanwhile, will receive passengers who received the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.

The EU ambassadors agreed that restrictions on non-essential travel should be lifted for Macedonia, Albania and Serbia, and that the decision should be formalized in the coming days.

The epidemiological situation in the country is stable, the number of citizens infected with the coronavirus is small as well as the hospitalizations, and the vaccination is taking place at a good pace, inform the Ministry of Health. The health authorities still appeal, because the pandemic is not over either in our country or in the countries of the region, and everywhere in the world, the citizens should continue to follow the basic measures for protection against covid-19.

- In a way this is a potential threat of a possible stroke of the virus, so we need to adhere to protection measures - said the Minister of Health Venko Filipce.

10 new patients have been hospitalized in the covid centers in Skopje and in the country due to coronavirus complications. One patient was admitted to Skopje and nine patients were admitted to hospitals across the country. A total of 90 people suspected and confirmed for covid-19 are being treated at the infectious diseases wards, 26 in Skopje and 64 in the covid centers in the country.

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