LISBON (PORTUGAL) – Britain’s decision to postpone flights from Portugal due to concerns about a new coronavirus strain in Brazil is “absurd”, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said.
Santos Silva told the state-owned news agency Lusa late on Thursday he had requested a meeting could be arranged with British foreign minister Dominic Raab to get clarity on the situation.
Britain’s transport minister announced on Thursday that Portugal lists one among South American countries from which arrivals were being banned due to its close travel links to Brazil.
Santos Silva said, “This is an absurd measure, and we don’t understand what it is based on.”
That said, it has not been found that the Brazilian strain is present in Portugal, according to health authorities.
Flights between Portugal and Brazil have not been available as part of a wider Portuguese policy, maintaining travel to countries with large Portuguese diasporas. The policy permits only essential travel and does not have tourism under its ambit.
Travellers must submit a negative coronavirus test taken up to 72 hours before leaving.
Santos Silva criticised the short notice given by Britain for the new measure, which went into force at 0400 GMT on Friday.
He said Portugal had not restricted travel from Britain, when a new strain of the coronavirus was first identified in the UK, however, it had complied to European Union policy by simply requiring a negative coronavirus test from travellers.
“I believe in the value of reciprocity,” he said.