May 28 (SeeNews) - Montenegro plans to lift the coronavirus restrictions on the entry of citizens of all Western Balkans countries except Serbia on June 1, the country's health institute said.
Montenegro will reopen its borders for citizens of countries with a maximum of 25 active coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia as of June 1, data posted on the website of the health institute, a unit with the health ministry, showed on Thursday.
Citizens of Croatia, Bulgaria and Slovenia will also be able to enter Montenegro, according to the list of countries meeting the epidemiological criteria.
Montenegrin citizens and foreigners with permanent or temporary residence coming from countries not on the list will be placed into self-isolation for 14 days, the government said in a separate statement on Thursday.
Prime minister Dusko Markovic announced the government's intentions to open borders to citizens of foreign countries with a low incidence rate of the disease on Monday. The decision drew fire from the government of neighbouring Serbia, which announced plans to reopen borders to Montenegrin citizens last week. Serbia even banned flag carrier Montenegro Airlines from operating flights out of Belgrade.
Montenegro, which registered its first case of the disease in March, currently has no active cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the health institute said on Sunday.
The country has recorded a total of 324 coronavirus cases since the outbreak of the disease on its territory in March. The authorities have reported nine deaths related to the virus. Foreigners are currently prohibited from entering the country, except for those permanently or temporarily residing in Montenegro.