British travel ban is “absurd”, Portuguese international minister states

LISBON (Reuters) – Britain’s conclusion to suspend flights from Portugal since of considerations about a new coronavirus pressure in Brazil is “absurd”, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva explained.

Santos Silva told the condition-owned information company Lusa late on Thursday he had asked for a meeting with British overseas minister Dominic Raab to make clear the problem.

Britain’s transportation minister declared on Thursday that Portugal experienced been extra to a checklist of South American nations from which arrivals were being remaining banned since of its near vacation one-way links to Brazil.

“This is an absurd measure, and we never comprehend what it is based mostly on,” Santos Silva stated.

There is no evidence that the Brazilian pressure is current in Portugal, in accordance to wellness authorities.

Flights amongst Portugal and Brazil continue to be accessible as element of a broader Portuguese policy of keeping travel to nations around the world with massive Portuguese diasporas. The plan lets only necessary journey and does not include tourism.

Travellers must existing a damaging coronavirus examination taken up to 72 several hours prior to departure.

Santos Silva criticised the brief see specified by Britain for the new measure, which went into force at 0400 GMT on Friday.

He claimed Portugal experienced not banned journey from Britain when a new strain of the coronavirus was initial discovered in the United Kingdom, but had adopted European Union coverage by merely necessitating a adverse coronavirus take a look at from travellers.

“I think in the worth of reciprocity,” he claimed.