PodcastOver 3.5k citizens return to Turkey from banned nine European countries until the end of today
Some 3,614 Turkish citizens will be flown to Turkey from nine different European countries on 34 different flights until the end of the day, said Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu March 17.
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More than 3,500 Turkish citizens will be flown in from nine different European countries by the end of the day, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said March 17.
The nine countries are Germany, Spain, France, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands , all of which were shut off to flights to and from Turkey.
The 3,614 citizens will be flown in on 34 different planes in the Turkish Airlines fleet and will be placed under quarantine in dormitories in Istanbul and nearby Kocaeli.
“Turkish Airlines kept ticket prices reasonable,” Çavuşoğlu said about the flights that will bring the stranded citizens to Turkey.
The Foreign Ministry has stopped flights to and from 20 countries, Çavuşoğlu said, including Morocco.
“Morocco suspended flights. We have 1,500 citizens there. We’re working to make sure they’re helped,” Çavuşoğlu said.
Turkey has received requests for aid in medical supplies and has responded to some, Çavuşoğlu said.
“The Foreign Ministry is working with the Health Ministry to prepare for a worst-case scenario. We think it’s important to help, but only after we secure our needs,” Çavuşoğlu added.