Erdoğan: Turkey to ease COVID-19 restrictions on provincial basis
COVID-19 weekend curfews will be lifted gradually on provincial basis," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said late Wednesday in Ankara's Presidential Complex after a cabinet meeting.
- Türkiye
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 08:15 | 17 February 2021
- Modified Date: 09:46 | 17 February 2021
"The roadmap for the opening of restaurants and cafes will be revealed next week," he added, underlining that Turkey will start to move towards normalization.
"Gradual normalization period in virus restrictions will be launched early March," Erdoğan emphasized, adding that the authorities will divide provinces into 4 categories based on infection rates and vaccination.
"Short-term employment allowance is extended for the last time until end of March," he also said.
The President also emphasized the strength of Turkish economy in pandemic conditions. "When the pandemic started, IMF predicted that Turkish economy would shrink by 5%," he said.
"But it later had to revise its forecast, saying Turkey will grow by 1.2%."