Turkey on Wednesday expressed “disappointment” to EU over its decision to continue a travel ban on Turkish nationals amid the coronavirus outbreak.
In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy conveyed Ankara’s concerns over excluding Turkey in the recent list of 15 countries that have been allowed to travel to EU states.
“WE EXPECT THIS MISTAKE WILL BE CORRECTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”
“Turkey’s efforts, measures and achievements made to stem the outbreak of coronavirus are evident. This decision should’ve been taken with objective criteria and while considering the country’s success, which was cited as an example by the World Health Organization and the international community,” he said.
Underscoring Turkey’s “exemplary solidarity with the international community during the pandemic,” Aksoy said the country will continue its cooperation and transparent information sharing regarding the outbreak with European institutions.
“We expect this mistake regarding travel restrictions for our citizens will be corrected as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said.
The EU will revise the list every two weeks based on epidemiological criteria, including the countries’ overall response to the novel virus, and declining infection rates.