#borders closed

EU grapples with chaotic Covid-19 border and travel curbs – ET HospitalityWorld

The European Commission told six EU countries to ease travel and border restrictions on Tuesday as unilateral moves to combat the spread of new coronavirus variants had hit the flow of goods and risked shutting parts of the Franco-German border. The EU executive said it had given Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary and Sweden 10 days to justify the restrictions, which Justice Commissioner…

New Zealand PM Says “Borders Likely To Be Shut For Most Of 2021”

Jacinda Ardern said they would not re-open borders while the pandemic was still raging. (File) Wellington: New Zealand’s borders are likely to remain closed for much of the year as health officials assess global vaccine rollouts, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned Tuesday. Ardern said the emergence over the weekend of New Zealand’s first case of community transmission in more than two months…

Introduction by Chris Elliott……

Our German friend Roland Eyerich, who lives here in the TRNC has alerted us to a petition being directed at the EU Parliament, EU Commission, EU citizens, Federal Republic of Germany and others entitled “Attack by the Republic of Cyprus on the freedom of movement and economic existence of EU citizens.” click here and you can read the content of this below in English and it makes a very eye opening reading.

  Through Cyprusscene we have supported many times calls for the embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern to be ended and for direct flights from the UK to TRNC be started and in our last article ” Direct flights for Northern Cyprus and why not, have your say! “ we linked to a UK petition click here which has had 8,424 signatures to date and on reaching 10,000 the UK government has to respond and at 100,000 signatures this will be considered for debate in Parliament so keep on signing and don’t let the naysayers have their way any longer.

  Attack by the Republic of Cyprus on the freedom of movement and economic existence of EU citizens.

Petition started by Lawyer Hans-Jürgen Hantsche 

The EU and Germany are asked to restore freedom of movement for EU citizens between the north and south of Cyprus. The Green Line regulation must be complied with again!

Why is that important?

The EU and Germany must be induced to take effective measures against the RepCy (Republic of Cyprus) in order to fully guarantee our fundamental right to free movement (including Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 21 TFEU and Article 45 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights).

We must not allow the economic existence of an entire population group, here the Turkish Cypriots of Northern Cyprus, to be destroyed and the RepCy to be unjustifiably enriched at the expense of the poorest. This is criminal and a shame for the EU.

We must not allow EU citizens to be used as a weapon to achieve economic or political goals and to take an entire population group (Turkish Cypriots) hostage.

The German press completely ignores the events. The restriction of our basic right and the threat to the existence of the Turkish Cypriots is not worth noting, despite positive knowledge.

Below is the background for those interested. It is worth reading on. You will find some things hard to believe, but they are true. The author is a Berlin lawyer and is concerned himself and represents other affected German citizens.

What happened?

Due to a unilateral decision, the RepCy has completely closed the Green Line (the border between southern and northern Cyprus) for all (not only EU) tourists. The result is that tourists are no longer allowed to pass the Green Line, either from south to north or vice versa from north to south. The RepCy thus violates applicable international law, because the permeability of the Green Line must then be guaranteed.

Official reason, illegality:

The RepCy officially justifies the closure of the Green Line with the reduction of the pandemic-related infection risk. However, there is no increased risk of infection due to the opening of the Green Line, as you will soon understand. This reasoning is obviously put forward to give the measure the appearance of legality. The measure is therefore illegal.

Why is the official justification wrong?

Northern Cyprus (approx. 320,000 inhabitants) is one of the countries with the lowest number of cases worldwide (as of August 9, 2020: total 171, recovered 137, tests carried out 83,301, 4 deaths).

South Cyprus (approx. 900,000 inhabitants) currently has 1,242 cases, 870 recovered, tests 232,987 carried out, 19 deaths. South Cyprus consequently has both proportionally and absolutely higher numbers of cases and deaths than North Cyprus.

The following persons are allowed to cross the Green Line in both directions, provided they can prove a current negative PCR test: – Cypriots on both sides, – Foreigners who live in of the RepCy – i.e. South Cyprus – have a residence permit

The entry of European tourists in particular via airports and shipping ports into the RepCy is permitted for almost all countries in Europe and other countries if a current negative PCR test is presented upon entry. People from some countries with an increased infection rate may have to post a second PCR test until the result is available in quarantine or can then move freely in South Cyprus.

 Tourists who were already in Northern Cyprus at the time the Green Line was closed are not allowed to cross the Green Line to Southern Cyprus under any circumstances, because the government of the RepCy does not allow this, even if the people have a current negative PCR test can and even though they come from an area whose case numbers are significantly lower.

Given all of this, it is logically not possible that passing tourists (who have already entered the country with a negative PCR test or who have to show a quarantine with a subsequent negative PCR test) can negatively influence the infection process in South Cyprus . However, since a new negative PCR test would have to be proven after returning, the return cannot pose a greater risk to these tourists than if they had stayed in South Cyprus the entire time. Even then, harassing individual cases against German citizens

EU tourists in Northern Cyprus will not be allowed to enter the south, even if they were already registered before July 1st. booked a return flight from the south;

A German from Northern Cyprus was not allowed to enter the south, although he only wanted to pick up medicines for his wife from a post office box in the south – the German embassy did not help either;

Several Germans who wanted to go from the south to the north were cursed at the checkpoint by South Cypriot officials just because they wanted to go north.

Tourism is the economic lifeline of both parts of Cyprus

After the pandemic-related development allowed it again, the entry restrictions in both parts of Cyprus were relaxed again from July 1st, 2020. Tourism was revived. Due to the closure of the Green Line from July 1st, 2020, only South Cyprus could benefit from this. At all RepCy airports, tourists were immediately made familiar with the fact that it was not possible to continue to Northern Cyprus. Hotels in the south were found for tourists at the airports.

With this, Northern Cyprus was de facto excluded from tourism. As in many other countries, the situation there had been dramatic by then. All people in Northern Cyprus who had hoped for an economic recovery have been deprived of their livelihood, tourism, in an inhuman way by Southern Cyprus.

Neither the German government nor the EU are doing anything about it, although they are well aware of the situation.

Please take part in this petition to restore our right to freedom of movement.

Editor’s note: It would seem both the German and British Government have no interest in contesting the Greek Cypriot Administration actions and we have seen a number of references to the British High Commission on this issue in articles we have received and published.

“GREEN LINE CROSSING ISSUES

We are well aware that the Greek Cypriot administration are using the current COVID-19 emergency as a reason to exclude anyone, other than GCs and some RoC permanent residents, from crossing from the South into the TRNC. 

This is a flagrant breach of EU rules regarding Free Movement between both sides.  Although there are isolated instances of Foreign nationals being able to cross the Green Line, it appears that these are being facilitated through the relevant Embassy teams.

We have received requests that we enlist the help of the British High Commission to assist UK nationals (Members) crossing the Green Line in order to catch flights that they have booked.  The British High Commission has so far refused to assist in these requests which they do not see as ‘for humanitarian’ reasons.

They seem reluctant to upset the Greek Cypriot administration!”

The mildly exciting story of how I got out of Guatemala after the borders closed

Accompanied by some brilliant Coronavirus/quarantine themed cartoons, since I was too busy to take photos.

The Great Escape – how I got out of Guatemala after the borders closed, and managed to get back to Sydney.

I had so many plans for this year. On this exact date, I was meant to be in Guanajuato, Mexico. Later on in May I was meant to return to Australia for about a month, before…

Isolation Challenge for Single mums in total isolation

In response to the article we published with entertainer Andy Reay click here on the subject of what do you do during Self Isolation, we have started to receive messages from many happy people as you will see. (more…)

We have had an interesting email from Jo Coghlan in Western Australia telling us how the island of Australia has now been divided by the threat of COVID-19 and how people are coping in an Island within an Island 

For those readers who would also like to share their experiences please email  [email protected] and we will try to publish them on our website and in our weekly online e-newspaper. Let’s try to make the world happy again by sharing good news.

For those people who are wanting to return from the UK to the TRNC or go from the TRNC to the UK please go to Facebook page “TRNC Residents trying to get home” click here and register your details as directed.

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Readers Mail…. From Jo Coghlan…. Western Australia….

 At 11.59 pm on 5th April 2020, Western Australia closed its borders to the rest of Australia and the term ‘an island within an island’ was coined. This was the WA state government’s response to slowing the spread of COVID-19. While allowing many exemptions, this hard border prevents anybody (even West Australians) from entering WA from other states by land, air or sea. It appears to be working.

An international travel ban is in place for all Australians but many are still returning from overseas and must complete 14 days’ quarantine in a hotel in the city of arrival. West Australian’s arriving in Sydney, for example, are obliged to spend 14 days in quarantine there and then another 14 days after flying home to Perth, WA’s capital.

Passengers on cruise ships have had a unique experience. The vessel Vasco da Gama was at Phuket on course for London when plans changed due to the pandemic. It returned to Perth’s port, Fremantle, at the end of March with 950 passengers and 550 crew on board. Fortunately there were no reports of coronavirus and overseas travellers were immediately flown back to their countries of origin and 600 eastern states passengers accommodated in Perth hotels for their 14 days of quarantine.

The 200 Western Australians on board were lucky. They were ferried to Rottnest Island, a holiday destination about 20 kilometres off the coast and spent their quarantine in chalets, units and hostel rooms. Although confined, with tantalising beaches off limits, they were treated to quality food, the fresh breezes of the Indian Ocean and, no doubt, the occasional visit from an inquisitive quokka, the friendly marsupials endemic to the island. This was the ultimate experience: quarantine on a tiny island, off ‘an island within an island’!

Passengers on another cruise ship, the Artania, were not so fortunate. With no Australians on board, it was originally turned away from Fremantle when it sought refuge but then reported sickness on board. Keen not to have a repeat of the disastrous consequences when the Ruby Princess allowed passengers who had been exposed to coronavirus to disembark in Sydney several weeks ago, the WA premier, Mark McGowan, finally allowed the Artania to dock and 50 people were taken to hospital with COVID-19 symptoms. Most of the remaining passengers were flown home to Europe. Currently the ship is still in port but is due to leave next week.

Western Australia has nine regional areas and we are not permitted to travel outside our designated region without an exemption. Most people are observing the ruling, avoiding a hefty fine, and common sense is prevailing. But this was problematic at Easter when many West Australians traditionally flock to the south west of the state and coastal areas. It was a very different Easter for many. The intrastate travel restrictions appear to be working and have been particularly important to protect vulnerable Aboriginal communities in the north of the state.

Within our local community restrictions are in place but we go about our lives, albeit warily. The mantra is “stay at home” but we’re allowed to leave our house to shop for essentials (we’re getting our groceries delivered when we can), exercise, go to work (many people are working from home), attend medical appointments and the pharmacy, and give care and support to others in their homes. With winter months ahead, there’s a real threat of other viruses exacerbating the crisis so we’ve had our flu vaccinations and we’re far more vigilant about washing our hands than ever before.

Closure of playgrounds                         My Husband Peter ‘isolating’ at a local beach

Children are on school holidays and parents have had to find creative ways to occupy them since all usual attractions are closed.  Even playgrounds are off limits. The weather was unusually warm over Easter (Perth reached 40 degrees Celsius, the hottest on record) and naturally people sought relief at police-patrolled beaches. There was a real threat of beach closure if social distancing was ignored but most people were sensible.

We’ve been walking in the cool of the evening in bushland or parks away from people. But we’ve been warned not to be complacent and our local council has installed electronic boards at the entrance to all park areas reminding us to adhere to social distancing and ‘exercise then leave’.

Electronic signs near local parks

Just about everything’s closed, of course, but restaurants and cafes have reinvented themselves, serving take-a-way food and doing home delivery. And we’re all learning how to survive under the new regime.  Online teaching and learning has taken off and suddenly the conferencing platform, Zoom, has lived up to its name. If we didn’t know about podcasts, we do now, and what about all those creative people out there entertaining us with their YouTube videos of their antics while isolating? And we’re learning a whole new vocabulary. Terms like ‘flattening the curve’, ‘contact tracing’, ‘patient zero’, ‘asymptomatic’ and ‘epidemiology’ punctuate our conversations with ease. And ‘panic buying’ will be forever synonymous with toilet paper.  Laughter may not be the best medicine for curing COVID-19 but it certainly helps.

We’re fortunate to be living in a country with strong, considered leadership and, in particular, the ‘island’ state of Western Australia. Our federal and state governments are working together and the usual political sniping from opposition parties has been temporarily shelved. The potential for economic crisis and hardship as a result of job and income losses was recognised early in the pandemic and financial support for families, businesses, renters and vulnerable people was formally legislated and implemented very quickly.

As of 13 April, Australia has suffered 61 deaths and 6322 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the majority of which were acquired overseas including onboard cruise ships.  Western Australia has 6 deaths and 517 cases, 68 of these from overseas passengers and crew from the cruise ship Artania. But with the measures in place to slow the spread of the virus, the number of new cases has trickled and the curve is indeed flattening. Modeling shows we could have had 30,000 cases in WA by now had strict measures not been taken. But the biggest threat is still Australians returning from overseas and restrictions may continue for at least the next six months in WA.

Meanwhile, we sit tight and wait for a vaccine, knowing how fortunate we are to live on ‘an island within an island’ and hope that the world has learnt some lessons.

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