The ‘health ministry’ of Turkish-held Cyprus announced on Monday new travel instructions for entry to the occupied areas through checkpoints and illegal ports and airports in effect as of July 6.
Citing Turkish-Cypriot media sources, the CNA reports that according to the ‘health ministry’, Turkish-Cypriots working in the occupied areas, pupils going to school in the free areas and Maronites and Greek-Cypriots who live in the Turkish-held areas may cross into the occupied territories without going into quarantine given that they tested negative to a PCR test 72 hours in advance.
This will also apply for Turkish-Cypriots who live and work in the free areas who need to take a PCR test every 15 days. Tests taken in both the occupied and the free areas will be accepted, it was added.
Furthermore, those who wish to cross into occupied territory need to state that they have remained in the free areas for the last 14 days which will allow them to cross without going into quarantine, while they will also need to show a negative PCR test.
However, if they travelled abroad less than 14 days prior to their crossing then there shall apply the instructions as per the categorisation of countries, the ‘health ministry’ said.
Countries have been divided into Category A, Category B and Category C. Visitors from Category A countries will need to have a negative PCR test 72 hours in advance and do not need to go into quarantine.
It was also mentioned that those who do not have the test will take it upon entry into the occupied areas and will remain in quarantine at their own expense until their results come out.
Category A countries: Germany, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, South Korea, Ireland, Switzerland, Iceland, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Hungary, Maldives, Malta, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, New Zealand, Greece.
Those from category B countries need to have a negative PCR test 72 hours in advance and they will take another test upon arrival and will remain quarantined at a hotel until their results come out.
Category B countries: Andorra, Argentina, Belgium, UAE, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Canada, Montenegro, Qatar, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Lebanon, Monaco, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Turkey, Uruguay, Jordan, Vatican.
Travellers from Category C need to have a negative PCR test 72 hours in advance and remain in quarantine for 14 days at their own expense.
Category C countries: USA, Brazil, India, UK, Iran, Israel, Sweden, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mexico, Egypt, Pakistan, Russia, Turkmenistan etc.
