No new Covid-19 cases registered in Slovenia over past 24 hours

No new Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in Slovenia over the past 24 hours. This means the number of coronavirus cases in the country is 1,488, of recoveries – 1,359, and the death toll is 109. The number of active cases is 20, and there are no patients in intensive care.

Because of the drop in the number of registered cases, on 15 May the Slovenian government declared a gradual exit from the epidemic situation which started on 12 March. On 31 May an end was declared to the epidemic.

Cyprus opens up to the world

On 9 June Cyprus reopened its two airports to the outside world. Due to the coronavirus, people travelling to the island are required to present certificates with a negative result for Covid-19. The phase-by-phase reopening for different countries depends on the epidemiological situation there.

Around 20 airline companies have included Cyprus in their flight programmes. The reopening of the airports will enable the island to launch its active summer season even though Cyprus’ biggest tourist markets – Great Britain and Russia – are not among the first 19 countries allowed.

Turkey continues to relax coronavirus measures

Turkey is continuing to ease the coronavirus measures. Children and the elderly were allowed to go out for 6 hours on certain days of the week. From now on people aged over 65 will be able to go out between 10 AM and 8 PM, and all restrictions on going out for people under 18 are being lifted. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted that due to the pandemic the government has granted 1,200 Lira (around half of the minimum salary) to 1 million furloughed workers, as well as aid amounting to 1,000 Turkish Lira (around EUR 130) to 5.5 million of the poorest families.

The country is now getting ready for the tourist season. Incoming tourists will have their temperature taken, and passengers with a temperature of over 38 degrees C., will be tested for coronavirus. Hotels started preparing for post-Covid conditions in May in view of the social distancing rules. Rooms have been designated for guests with established symptoms of different diseases.

Serbia ready to resume negotiations with Kosovo

Serbia is ready to resume the negotiations with Kosovo, broken off in the autumn of 2018 when Pristina took the decision to introduce higher customs duties for Serbian goods, Serbian Minister for EU Affairs Jadranka Joksimović told Euronews. The dialogue can continue provided “the Serbian national identity is respected”.

Earlier the Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti stated that resuming negotiations with Serbia was a priority and pointed out that he would conduct the negotiations personally. However, he stressed that the territorial integrity of Kosovo is not negotiable. A survey shows that 70% of people in Kosovo support the restart of the dialogue with Belgrade.

After Pristina lifted the customs duties on Serbian goods, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić stated this would help the development of economic relations.

Greece signs agreement with Italy on demarcation of borders in Ionian Sea

After years of negotiations and a protracted diplomatic marathon, a document was signed in Athens on the demarcation of the maritime borders in the Ionian Sea between Greece and Italy. The foreign ministers of the two countries who signed the agreement highlighted the fact that the document specifies the rights to prospecting for energy resources on the basis of international law.

For a long time Italy had problems with its maritime borders in the Ionian Sea, not least because of the Italian fishermen who fish for expensive seafood, in high demand on the world market, within the Greek economic zone. 

Athens expressed the hope that the signing of the agreement with Rome will pave the way to concluding a similar agreement with Albania.

Compiled by Miglena Ivanova