Spain will maintain, at least until April 16, the checks at the border with Portugal because of the epidemiological situation of Covid-19 in both countries, according to a decision published today in the official bulletin of the Spanish State.
«The epidemiological situation in Spain and Portugal calls for the maintenance of preventive measures to restrict mobility within the territory and, correspondingly, after consultations with the Portuguese authorities, it was decided to maintain controls on the internal land border between both countries in addition to Holy Week,” reads the order of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
On Thursday, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa had already said that the Iberian border would remain closed "with those exceptions that are known and have been practiced", without advancing dates for reopening.
The border with Spain has been closed since 31 January and only international transport of goods, documented cross-border and seasonal workers, emergency and rescue vehicles and emergency services can pass through authorized points.
In the statute of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, it is considered that the extension of the closing of the border is “a measure proportional to the gravity of the situation and is congruent with the measures adopted inside the Spanish territory”.
In Spain there are several restrictions on the mobility of the population that are in force until April 9th to prevent travel during Holy Week.
Portugal is for the 14th time since March 2020 in a justified state of emergency with the covid-19 pandemic, enacted from 1 to 15 April.
Comments