Earlier this month Lithuania’s Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis teleconference with the Prime Ministers’ Council of the Baltic Council of Ministers to begin creating “travel clusters” for opening economies back up.
Meeting with the Prime Minister of Latvia Krišjānis Kariņš and Prime Minister of Estonia Jüri Ratas, Skvernelis discussed the implementation of a Rail Baltica project, a border regime, and other COVID-19 issues. Today, a so-called “travel bubble” or corridor among Baltic countries opened last week as coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions began being lifted.
EU residents and citizens can now move freely in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia. These three countries have shown remarkably few coronavirus cases and less than 150 deaths in total. The Baltic states are now the first “travel bubble” to have formed up for allowing eurozone inter-regional travel. As for travelers from outside the Baltics, there will still be a self-isolate two-week rule in effect.
Other European nations are considering similar “bubble” schemes in order to salvage what’s left of the 2020 touristic season. So, far Poland and Finland have been approached to join in the Baltics effort. As for Brussels, the EU Commission is encouraging member states to create similar situations, so that the eurozone can gradually transition to a more normal mode of operation.
The Covid-19 crisis is expected to drive Europe’s projected revenue down from 200 billion dollars to 124 billion dollars.
