Turkey shuts Greece, Bulgaria land borders to passengers

ANKARA

Turkey’s land borders with Greece and Bulgaria have been closed to the entry and exit of passengers as a measure against the coronavirus outbreak, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on March 18.

As of March 19, Greek and Bulgarian citizens’ entry to Turkey from those countries via land or sea has been banned. Other countries’ citizens who were in Greece and Bulgaria over the past 14 days will also not be allowed entry to Turkey.

Entrance through Turkey’s ports has also been mutually suspended with both the Greek mainland and islands.

According to Anadolu Agency, passengers will not be allowed to enter or leave through the Pazarkule and İpsala border gates, as well as the Uzunköprü railway border to Greece.

Dereköy, Hamazbeyli and Kapıkule gates to Bulgaria will also be closed.

Nevertheless, the gates will still be open for logistics.

On March 14, the Interior Ministry announced that Turkey and Georgia mutually agreed to temporarily close the Sarp border gate to passenger traffic.

Turkey imposed flight bans to six more countries including the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates, making the total number of countries 20, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced on March 16.

Switzerland, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Ireland were also added to the list, Koca said.

Turkey reported its second fatality from the coronavirus infection, Koca said on late March 18. The total number of cases rose to 191 in the country, nearly doubling from a day before.

The government has ramped up measures to halt the spread of the virus, closing schools and universities and holding sports events without spectators.