The 14-day test and quarantine will not be required for everyone who returns to Serbia from abroad

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The latest decisions made by the government regarding the travel conditions and coronavirus tests necessary to enter our country were published yesterday in the Official Gazette. Everyone who enters our country must have a negative coronavirus test that is not older than 72 hours. This does not apply to children - both our and foreign citizens - but under the condition that their parents or guaridans have a negative test.

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Also, the test is not obligatory for the staff of road and river vehicles, trains, aircraft..., bu those with limited stay in our territory. The 14-day quarantine measure, and the test will not be required for those who have been out of our country for up to 72 hours and have no symptoms of coronavirus.

The changes, as it is stated, were made in a decision amending the decision on declaring the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a contagious disease, and it was signed by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, coming into force yesterday.

Who must have a test that is not older than 72 hours

The decision literally states:

- In the Decision on declaring the COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus a contagious disease, item 4, paragraph 1, the words: "if they possess a negative test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus, not older than 72 hours, issued by foreign reference national laboratories of the country from which they come, that is, enter the Republic of Serbia, based on the list of reference laboratories of the countries submitted to the Ministry of Health by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" - are replaced with the words:"if they possess a negative PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 virus, no older than 72 hours from the issuance by a reference laboratory of the country from which they come, i.e., enter the Republic of Serbia," reads the Official Gazette.

This means that a foreign citizens can enter Serbia if they have tested negative for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus within the previous 72 hours,while the test result must be issued to by a foreign reference national laboratory of the country they come from. In the previous decision, it was necessary to have a test from a laboratory included in the list that the Ministry of Health submits to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Photo: Tanjug/Tara Radovanovic

Exceptions for entry without a test

The following paragraph of the latest issue of the Official Gazette adds:

- After paragraph 3, paragraph 4 is added, which reads: "As an exception, the working body of the Government may allow a foreign citizen to enter the territory of the Republic of Serbia even if they do not have a negative PCR test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus mentioned in paragraph 1 - if there are particularly justified reasons for that.

Crews of cargo motor vehicles do not have to have this test when performing international transport in road traffic, but their stay must not be longer than 12 hours from the moment of entering the territory of Serbia. Also, this does not apply to the crews of cargo ships that transport goods to one of the domestic ports, while navigation on international waterways in the territory of our country must not be longer than 90 hours for ships and 60 hours for self-propelled vessels from the moment of entering Serbia.

This does not apply to train personnel, either, who enter the zone of border stations determined by interstate agreements, nor to crews and cabin crew of aircraft whose final destination is Serbia or are in transit through international airports in Serbia, humanitarian and military convoys, members of foreign diplomatic and consular missions and offices of international organizations, and members of their families.

The decision also does not apply to those who perform agricultural work and have agricultural land in Serbia, and citizens of neighboring countries, who are residents of border areas and who are employed in Serbia.

Photo: Тanjug/AP

Temporary stay abroad

Besides those in possession of a negative test, the 14 day isolation measure will not apply to those who have been abroad for up to 72 hours and do not have symptoms of coronavirus.

Children don't need to be tested, but their guardians do

Children under the age of 12 do not have to be tested for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, if a parent, guardian or a family member accompanying the child has a negative test that is not older than 72 hours.

This applies to both our children, and those of foreign nationals.

This decision came into force as soon as it was published in the Official Gazette, that is, yesterday. It is registered under the number 53-3862/2020.

(LJ.R.)