Seventeen Ukrainians denied E.U. entry and detained

Seventeen Ukrainian citizens flying from Kyiv to
Athens were detained on July 4 at the airport for arriving from a country whose
residents are not allowed entry to the E.U. for non-essential visits. The
travelers, which included two children, remained in detention this morning
after a second night in police custody, the eurointegration.com.ua news site
reported. Five of the travelers arrived on a Wizzair flight, while the rest
flew with Ryanair. Passengers said they were required to show the results of
recent PCR tests in Kyiv before their departure. They were asked to sign
deportation agreements after their detention in Athens, but they refused. The
next returning flights are only on July 7.

Recall, the E.U. approved on June 30 a list of 15
countries whose residents are permitted entry for non-essential visits,
allowing exceptions for the residents of those countries not on the list,
including Ukraine. They include those who are traveling to study, to work on
ships, to change flights, to engage in irreplaceable work, to engage in
seasonal work, those with relatives who are E.U. citizens, and those with E.U.
permanent residency, among others.

Cases of the COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus
dropped for the second day to 543 on July 6, after 823 new cases on July 5 and
914 on July 4, according to statistics of the National Security and Defense
Council. An estimated 13 deaths occurred on July 6, after 22 on July 5 and 15
on July 4. An estimated 327 recoveries were reported on July 7, 221 on July 6
and 597 on July 5.

Zenon Zawada: Ukrainians may gain entry to the E.U. after the E.U. Council’s next
review, in about a week, of its list of countries whose residents are allowed
entry. The drop in daily cases of new infections for the second day makes that
a realistic goal.