Abkhazia will not open borders to Russian tourists until July 15

Abkhazia has once again pushed back the start of tourist season due to the threat of a pandemic. Now borders are set to open on July 15.

The Abkhaz authorities closed the borders of the republic due to the coronavirus at the end of March, which has greatly affected the livelihoods of its citizens.

Abkhaz communities on social networks are filled with pleas to open the border with Russia so that people can make money on the tourist season. However, the authorities continue to maintain that the health of the population is more important.

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But there is another aspect involved in this issue – Abkhazia’s decision to open its borders will still do very little, as Russia is not yet allowing its citizens go abroad.

“The president suggests keeping a close eye on the situation in the Krasnodar Territory until July 10. By then, the two-week test period of lifting the quarantine will be over. If there are no complications to the epidemiological situation, then it will be possible to open our border for tourists,” said Dzhansuh Nanba, deputy head of the presidential administration of Abkhazia.

The Abkhaz Ministry of Tourism’s plan to open the tourist season and the conditions for the entry of tourists consists of three stages.

• If there is no disease outbreak in the Krasnodar Territory of Russia by July 15, tourists will be allowed to enter Abkhazia with permits for a period of no less than five days.

• After some time, vacationers will be allowed to enter for a period of three days or more, but still only with permits, and one-day tourism groups will also be allowed to enter.

• And during the third stage of reopening, tourists on holiday in the private sector will be allowed into the republic.

At the same time, all visitors to the republic will have to show a certificate obtained from an official laboratory verifying that they have no illnesses, and will have to purchase a mandatory insurance policy worth at least 2,000,000 rubles [about $28,000].

In total, 38 people have been infected in Abkhazia since the beginning of the pandemic. Of these, four people are being treated in a hospital in the city of Gudauta, 33 people have recovered, and one 95-year-old patient has died.

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