Statements by the Minister of Transport Mr. Yiannis Karousos on the gradual lifting of restriction measures to flights from and to the Airports of Larnaca and Paphos

The President of the Republic Mr. Nicos Anastasiades today chaired a meeting of the Council of Ministers at the Presidential Palace.

Speaking after the meeting, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr. Yiannis Karousos, said that “the Council of Ministers today approved the action plan that has been prepared by the Inter-ministerial Committee for the gradual lifting of restriction measures to flights from and to the Airports of Larnaca and Paphos, and the reopening of Airports and Hotels.

The action plan envisages the reopening of airports and the reconnection of Cyprus with other countries in two phases as follows: 

PHASE A – 9 to 19 June 2020

PHASE B – 20 June 2020

The team of special scientists has classified countries on the basis of their epidemiological image in two categories, with which the connection of Cyprus by air is resumed.

Category A: Greece, Malta, Bulgaria, Norway, Austria, Finland, Slovenia, Hungary, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Lithuania.

Category B: Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Estonia, Czech Republic.

In Phase A, those coming from countries of both categories must present a laboratory test certificate from an approved laboratory showing a negative result in order to be allowed to board their flight, with the test having taken place 72hours prior to departure.

Cypriot citizens and permanent residents of Cyprus may alternatively undergo the laboratory testing at their arrival in Cyprus. In this case and until the announcement of the result, they shall remain in self-isolation at home.

In Phase B, which begins on 20 June, passengers coming from countries included in category A will not be required to bring a laboratory test certificate.

For passengers coming from countries included in category B shall apply the same requirement as for all passengers in the first phase, that is, they have to present a laboratory test certificate from an approved laboratory showing a negative result in order to be allowed to board their flight, with the test having taken place 72hours prior to departure.

Cypriot citizens and permanent residents of Cyprus may alternatively undergo laboratory testing at their arrival in Cyprus. In this case and until the announcement of the result, they shall remain in self-isolation at home.

For countries not included in the two phases at any given moment, flights to the Republic of Cyprus will be allowed only with passengers who are Cypriot citizens, permanent residents of Cyprus, and persons issued with a special permit.

In these cases, the presentation of a laboratory test certificate from an approved laboratory will be required with a negative result and the examination having taken place 72 hours prior to departure. Alternatively, the test may take place at arrival in Cyprus. In this case, the passengers shall remain at a designated place for 1 day or until the announcement of the result.

All the passengers who come from countries not included in the two categories will repair to their homes in self-isolation for 14 days.

The cost of the laboratory testing as well as the quarantine/self-isolation and transportation cost, if any, shall be borne by the passenger.

In countries where the Authorities are evidently in no position to provide a service for laboratory  testing to interested persons who wish to travel to Cyprus, such service will provided in Cyprus upon arrival.

The Ministry of Health keeps up with the evaluation of the epidemiological data of countries, in order for the classification of countries to be updated in the relevant categories. Additional countries will be announced in the coming days.

As of Monday, 25 May 2020, at 06:00hrs, the compulsory quarantine is abolished and all those who are today accommodated at quarantine places shall repair to their homes in self-isolation for the remaining days, depending on the category of country whence they came.

For those being repatriated as of 25 May and until 8 June a laboratory test will be carried out at their arrival in Cyprus and they shall remain in an area to be designated for one day or until the result is announced. Thereafter, they shall repair to their homes in self-isolation for 7 days if they come from countries of categories A  and B, and 14 days if they come from any other country.

The Council of Ministers has also decided the reopening of hotels as from the 1st of June, on the basis of the relevant sanitation protocols to be determined by the Ministry of Health.”