Bulgaria eases travel rules for NATO troops, neighbouring states

SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria will allow NATO troops, as well as travellers from some neigbouring countries, to arrive in the Balkan country without showing any coronavirus-related documents as of April 13, the health ministry said.

The European Union and NATO member country lifted all domestic COVID restrictions from the beginning of the month, including wearing of face masks indoors as the number of new inflections eased.

The Black Sea state, which is setting up a 1,000-strong battle group as NATO is bolstering its eastern flank amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, will allow access of foreign allied forces to its territory without any COVID certificate.

The same rule will apply to travellers from neighbouring North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey as well as for visitors from Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia Israel and Egypt, the ministry said.

Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; Editing by Bernadette Baum