Coronavirus: foreign tourists will be able to return to Spain from July

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While deconfinement began two weeks ago in Spain, the head of government Pedro Sanchez announced, this Saturday, May 23, the next reopening of borders for foreign tourists, as well as the resumption of the football championship.

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"  The hardest part is over [...] . We have overcome the great wave of the pandemic,  "said the head of the Spanish government Pedro Sanchez at a press conference this Saturday, May 23.

Two weeks after the start of the deconfinement plan, Spain , one of the most bereaved countries in Europe with more than 28,000 dead, has taken a new step by authorizing the return of foreign tourists from July .

► Read: The response, country by country -  In Spain, a late reaction to one of the strictest confinements

"  I would like to inform you that from July, the entry of foreign tourists into Spain will resume under security conditions. Foreign tourists can therefore plan their holidays in our country now,  "announced the head of government. A boon for the country's economy since the tourism market in Spain, the second largest tourist destination in the world, represents 12% of its GDP.

Reopening of bars, hotels and museums in Madrid and Barcelona

"  We will ensure that tourists are not at risk and they do not bring no more risk to our country  ," added Pedro Sanchez who nevertheless recalled that the virus was still present and that it was "  the keep away  ”. The government also narrowly obtained, on Wednesday, May 20, the vote of the Parliament authorizing it to extend until June 6 the exceptional measures to fight against the pandemic.

The gradual deconfinement planned until the end of June is also progressing in the big cities, the main centers of contamination of the virus. As of Monday 25 May, the terraces of bars, hotels and museums may reopen in Madrid and Barcelona provided that strict restrictions on the number of customers are observed. In the rest of the country, where deconfinement had already started, the new phase provides for the reopening of beaches, swimming pools and cinemas.

Football championship restarts

Spanish football is also beginning its deconfinement . Stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Spanish football championship will resume the week of June 8. The head of government Pedro Sanchez declared that on this date "  the resumption of major sports and professional competitions, and in particular La Liga, will be authorized  ".

Car demonstration against government

With our correspondent in Madrid, François Musseau

At the call of the extreme right party Vox and its leader Santiago Abascal, thousands of people demonstrated this Saturday, May 23, in most of the capitals of the 52 Spanish provinces. All locked in their cars with the windows wide open, the demonstrators demanded the resignation of the head of the socialist government Pedro Sanchez. They consider that his management of the health crisis is disastrous and that he is at the head of a "  dangerous social-communist government  " for the interests of Spain.

Near the Alcalá gate in Madrid, the demonstrators had chosen to honk their horns to express their indignation. In addition to the horns, one could hear shouts and slogans such as "  Sanchez resignation  " or "  let us govern the country to avoid its bankruptcy and its ruin  ". 

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