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Why hasn't the EU lifted travel ban on Turkey?

The European Union decision to exclude Turkey from the list of travel-friendly countries seems to have more to do with political disagreements rather than public health concerns.
Employees wearing protective face masks wait for passengers at the Istanbul Airport  on the first day of the resumtion of domestic flights which were halted since March 26 due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in Istanbul on June 1, 2020. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP) (Photo by YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images)

Beginning with July 1, The European Union opened its borders to visitors from 15 countries. The full list of the first 15 countries ranges from Algeria to Uruguay, from Georgia to South Korea, from Serbia and Montenegro to New Zealand, from Morocco to Canada. Europe will open its borders to China as well, provided China opens up to travelers from the EU.

European doors will remain closed to travelers from the United States, Brazil, and Russia, due to the rate of the spread of coronavirus. Turkey, a candidate member of the EU, which performed well above the EU average in the Covid-19 struggle, however, is among those countries that the travel ban from and to the EU will remain in effect.

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