Talha Ozturk
19 March 2020•Update: 20 March 2020
BELGRADE, Serbia
Serbia on Thursday suspended all commercial flights at its main airport in the capital, Belgrade, as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Transport Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said flights to and from Nikola Tesla Airport would be stopped at 12 p.m. (1100GMT) Thursday.
“Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade remains open for all humanitarian flights and cargo traffic, and Serbia's air space remains open for all flights. The recommendation to passengers is to contact the airline for more detailed information on exercising their rights,” the minister said.
The last flight will be Turkish Airlines TK1084 to Istanbul at 20.25 (2125 GMT) for Turkish citizens.
Special permission was obtained from the Serbian authorities for the flight.
All border crossings for entry into Serbia by road, rail and river traffic will be closed Friday, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
"As of tomorrow, no one can enter the territory of Serbia except transport trucks. In the coming days, we are likely to make further decisions on curfew," Vucic said.
There are 103 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Serbia, according to Vucic.
The government declared a state of emergency Sunday and imposed a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. (1900GMT to 0400GMT) starting Wednesday.
The country also shut its borders to foreigners, while schools, colleges, sports halls and gyms are closed.
