Armenian Citizens Returning from Italy Opt Out After Learning of Quarantine Rules - Naghdalyan

When Armenian citizens in Italy were informed that they would have to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine upon return to Armenia, the majority chose not to return. This was stated by the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan during a press conference at the Armenian Unified Information Center established by the government, in response to a question regarding citizens' returns from Italy. Naghdalyan mentioned that prior to the return of Armenian citizens from Italy, about 150 individuals had contacted the Armenian embassy in Italy, but only 63 returned home on a special flight.

“There have been cases where citizens preferred to look for alternative routes back home through third countries, but they also faced mandatory quarantine upon arriving in Armenia, as this requirement applies to the country of departure, not transit countries,” she stated.

Naghdalyan also announced that the Armenian embassy in Egypt has confirmed that the last flight from Sharm El Sheikh to Yerevan is scheduled for March 19, with no information available on when the next flight will take place. “Therefore, we urge our citizens in Egypt who wish to return to Armenia to make sure to utilize this flight,” said the spokesperson.

She called on Armenian citizens in countries without an Armenian diplomatic representation to contact the Foreign Ministry through the hotline.

Referring to Armenian citizens in Russia, Naghdalyan noted that these individuals, their family members, and those who do not hold Armenian citizenship but have legal residency rights in Armenia can return to the country. The restrictions do not apply to individuals engaged in freight transportation.

Naghdalyan pointed out that another restriction pertains to the EU, where the entry of foreign nationals into the EU+ area, which includes EU countries, Schengen zone members, as well as Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein, is blocked for a period of 30 days.

In the case of neighboring Georgia, there are also no restrictions on freight transportation. “The closure of the Upper Lars checkpoint is solely due to weather conditions and heavy snowfall. Once weather conditions improve, freight transporters can carry out their operations without interruption,” Naghdalyan added.

Armen Avetisyan, head of the Consular Department of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, also urged against using the Upper Lars crossing due to weather conditions until the road opening issues are addressed. “According to information from relevant authorities, weather conditions may not stabilize until Friday, so refrain from traveling by car and consider using air travel,” he said.

He emphasized that all Armenian diplomatic missions have hotlines available. “We urge our citizens to definitely contact the embassies and consulates in case they find themselves in a difficult situation,” he noted.