Presidents of Russia and Turkey Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a telephone conversation discussed the resumption of air traffic between the countries. This was announced on Wednesday by the press secretary of the Russian leader Dmitry Peskov.
“The topic was touched upon. They gave instructions to the relevant departments to start negotiations, ”RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.
The conversation between the two leaders took place on July 13. According to the Kremlin’s press service, Putin and Erdogan exchanged views on certain issues on the bilateral agenda, including the prospects for resuming tourist exchanges as the sanitary-epidemiological situation improves.
Prior to this, a number of Turkish media, citing the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic, Adil Karaismailoglu, reported that Moscow and Ankara agreed to resume flights from July 15.
The source of RIA Novosti in the Turkish Ministry of Transport confirmed this information, but clarified that there is no exact date yet.
At the same time, the source of the TASS agency said that the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation has not yet notified Russian airlines of a positive decision.
On the eve of Dmitry Peskov said that the Cabinet is constantly working to resume international flights and is in contact with foreign partners.
“And, of course, the president receives relevant reports,” he stressed.
Recall, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Russian government announced the termination of regular and charter flights with other countries from March 27. The exceptions were flights organized for the return of Russians from abroad, and individual flights on behalf of the government.
At the end of June, the Federal Air Transport Agency extended restrictions on international flights until August 1.
At the same time, on July 10, the department reported that they had developed a scheme for the phased resumption of flights.
“The first stage involves the opening of air links with states in which the most favorable sanitary and epidemiological conditions have developed. Work on the resumption of international air travel will be based on reciprocity, ”the report said.
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The ministry said that air travel will resume after the authorities of specific states lift restrictions on the entry of Russian citizens, as well as assessing the sanitary and epidemiological situation.
“The restoration of transit traffic will occur as foreign states lift restrictions on international flights and receive foreign citizens on their territory,” the Federal Air Transport Agency added.
On July 10, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said that authorities could begin to gradually lift restrictions on flights abroad from July 15. According to her, this has become possible, since the incidence rate of COVID-19 has been declining for a long time in Russia.
Golikova pointed out that in order to resume flights to foreign countries, the incidence of coronavirus there should be about 40 per 100 thousand of the population, and such figures should be kept in the country for 14 days. The average daily increase in the number of people infected and the rate of spread of the disease in such states should not exceed 1%.
At the same time, President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Andrei Ignatiev announced on July 9 that air traffic between Russia and other countries will be restored in two stages by decision of the operational headquarters to combat the spread of coronavirus.
“Until August 1, the Federal Air Transport Agency does not plan any international flights, they are prohibited. Perhaps, international flights will begin somewhere in August, ”he said.
In turn, the executive director of the Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR) Maya Lomidze said that eight countries are already ready to receive Russian tourists.
“These are Turkey, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the Maldives, Croatia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. On July 16, it will become clear whether Abkhazia will open, within two days Italy promised to prepare an updated list of countries, information on Spain is expected by the end of July, ”she said.
ATOR noted that most of them require a certificate of the absence of coronavirus.
TASS also, citing a document, reported that Rospotrebnadzor sent to the Ministry of Transport and the Federal Air Transport Agency a list of 13 countries with which Russia could resume air traffic at the first stage.
The list includes the United Kingdom, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Finland, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Sri Lanka.