Upon arrival to Turkey, thermal imagers are installed at airports at the border, for persons with fever of above 37 degrees, a PCR test for coronavirus (COVID-19) disease is immediately carried out, the European Travel Insurance (ERV, Kyiv) said on its website with reference to operational data from an assistance company organizing assistance and providing support to ERV clients in Turkey. According to the company, if the result is positive, the tourist will be transported to a state-owned hospital, where additional examination methods will be conducted. By the decision of the doctor, the patient is either left in the hospital or transferred to lockdown observation.
The European Travel Insurance said that information released in the media about the performing PCR testing in the near future to all visitors to Turkey, without exception, has not yet been officially confirmed.
“Tourists stay for lockdown observation in their hotels. In turn, hotels must provide isolated rooms or blocks for this. Tourists are notified of the need for a second PCR test. State-owned medical institutions control the situation. If a patient is left in the hospital for treatment, hospitalization can last from one or two days to a week, or even more, it all depends on a patient’s condition,” the company said in the statement.
During discharge from a hospital, if the PCR test is negative, the tourist can return to the place of permanent residence. If the test is positive, the patient will be isolated for lockdown observation at the hotel.
During arrival, the test is done at the expense of the state of arrival. According to the European Travel Insurance at least for today, not a single case has been recorded where payment was requested for it. In addition, before departure, each passenger with a ticket can do a PCR test in state-owned laboratories. The cost of such a test is within EUR 15. In addition, it is possible to make tests for antibodies (blood sampling is done), but this kind of tests is done by private laboratories. The cost of this test is approximately EUR 38.
Treatment in state-owned hospitals of the country of arrival is paid, but territoriality also matters here. The decision to invoice or not to invoice a tourist in a state-owned hospital is made by the leadership of this medical institution.
Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has met with the owners and leaders of Ukrainian businesses, which operate in Turkey, the press service of the Foreign Ministry has said.
“The owners and leaders of Ukrainian businesses positively assessed the initiative of the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey to create the Ukrainian Business Association in Turkey, a union aimed at promoting Ukrainian companies in the Turkish market,” the statement said.
All participants in the meeting agreed on the need to further expand the economic presence of Ukraine in Turkey.
The Foreign Minister of Ukraine, in turn, noted that IT services and agriculture are two export spheres that adequately represent the brand of Ukraine in the world.
“In particular, in the context of the pandemic’s disrupting traditional supply chains, the powerful agricultural export turns Ukraine into a guarantor of the world’s food security,” the press release said.
Kuleba drew special attention of those present to the recently updated Council of Exporters and Investors under the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine. This body is able in practice to promote domestic business in consolidation, in particular, in the Turkish market. In addition, it is able to open up additional prospects for common access with Turkish partners to the markets of third countries.
“My task is to build a system of the Foreign Ministry that clearly works and helps businesses and investors. I urge you to actively use the opportunities offered by the format of the Council of Exporters and Investors under the Foreign Ministry,” Kuleba said.
Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba will pay a visit to Turkey on July 3-4 to participate in the 8th meeting of the Ukrainian-Turkish Joint Strategic Planning Group along with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. During the meeting, the parties will sum up the results of cooperation in the first half of 2020 and set priority tasks until the end of the year.
According to the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine, the ministers will also discuss a wide range of issues related to mutual cooperation and regional security.
“Special attention will be focused on the militarization of Crimea, violation of human rights on the peninsula by the Russia-occupation authorities, the situation with security in the Azov and Black Sea region and in the Middle East, resistance to Russia’s aggression in Donbas and initiatives aimed at peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” the ministry said.
The ministers will also discuss the development of trade and investment between Ukraine and Turkey, deepening of cooperation in the spheres of energy, security and defense, the prospects of the completion of the negotiation process on the Free Trade Agreement, cooperation within the UN, NATO, OSCE and the Council of Europe. The officials will also discuss the preparations for the 9th meeting of the High Level Strategic Council chaired by the presidents of Ukraine and Turkey.
The ministers will give a joint press conference on the results of the meeting.
Kuleba will also hold a separate meeting between Ukrainian businesspeople and Turkish entrepreneurs, who are ready to invest in Ukraine.
He will also meet with representatives of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities in Turkey, the ministry said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky following a conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that some flights between Ukraine and Turkey will be restored from July 1. “From July 1, some flights between Turkey and Ukraine will be restored. I agree with Recep Tayyip Erdogan that this will give an impetus to the restoration of the tourism industry. Thank you for the humanitarian assistance. We are deepening strategic partnership between Ukraine and Turkey in all areas of common interest,” he wrote on Twitter.
Erdogan noted that Turkey will do everything to make Ukrainian tourists feel comfortable and safe.
“Taking into account the traditionally high level of interaction and contacts between the two countries, the parties agreed on the need to restore air communications as soon as quarantine measures are weakened. The leaders noted that they consider July 1 as the date of resumption of flights between Ukraine and Turkey,” the presidential press service said.
The heads of state discussed the world situation around the coronavirus pandemic, as well as measures to overcome the disease and minimize its consequences for the society and the economies of the two states.
Erdogan also inquired about the state of health of the first lady of Ukraine, sent her greetings and wished a speedy recovery.
Zelensky thanked the Turkish people and the president of Turkey personally for the humanitarian assistance provided to Ukraine to combat COVID-19.
From July 1, Anex Tour, the tour operator, will resume daily flight program to Turkey and Azur Air Ukraine will operate flights to Bodrum and Antalya, the tour operator’s press service said on Wednesday, June 10.
The company said that following a phone conversation between the foreign ministers of the two countries, Turkey will open borders for tourists from Ukraine from July 1. The Turkish party said that it will create all the necessary conditions for the safe vacation of Ukrainian citizens in the summer.”
“Turkey, which tops our destinations, will welcome guests from July 1 of this year. It has become an exemplary country in the world, which implemented all the necessary safety measures for tourists and tourism in general. Therefore, we are planning to launch charter flights with Azur Air Ukraine, surely, observing all the rules of safe air travel,” the company’s press service said, citing General Director of Anex Tour Ukraine Ilker Adıgüzel.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba that Turkey resumes regular passenger transportation with Ukraine from July 1, 2020, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has said.
“The foreign minister of Turkey informed [Kuleba] about the decision of the Turkish side to open its borders for foreign tourists and resume regular passenger transportation with Ukraine from July 1 this year. He also said that his country will create all necessary conditions for safe rest of Ukrainian citizens in summer,” it said on Monday.
The ministers also discussed the priority tasks of strategic partnership between Ukraine and Turkey in the near future, determined the key bilateral high-level events that will be held as soon as the epidemiological situation improves.
Kuleba and Cavusoglu also agreed to hold the next meeting of the joint strategic planning group at the level of foreign ministers of Ukraine and Turkey in Antalya.
They also discussed cooperation within international organizations, including the Council of Europe.
