Winter resorts in the country are warning of dire consequences resulting from the latest order issued by Minister of Health Asena Serbezova on Friday 14 January, by force of which citizens of red-zone countries cannot enter Bulgaria, with the exception of citizens of the EU member countries and the European Economic Area, who have to present a health certificate as well as a negative PCR test.

Representatives of the tourist industry are reacting angrily to this “double standard” and are demanding that the order be revised immediately. Hotel operators have warned of widespread bankruptcies, as all reservations have been cancelled by tourists from Turkey, Israel, Serbia, Russia and North Macedonia, whose winter vacations were supposed to start this week.

Reporting by BNR’s correspondent Kety Trencheva.