The Norwegian government has decided to extend the country's travel restrictions, Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' advice against foreign travel will be in effect until August 20.

However, the government will consider changing the advice for travel to other Nordic countries by June 15th, the Prime Minister's Office said, according to news agency NTB. And before July 20th, the government will also review the advice for other nearby European countries.

”"The changes being implemented today will constantly be assessed in relation to the infection situation," says Solberg (Höyre) according to NTB.

She says that a clearer message than that cannot be given at the moment.

”"But we don't want to maintain this any longer than we have to and we want to give people and the travel industry as much predictability as we can," says Solberg, according to NRK.

Minister of Industry and Trade Iselin Nybø (Venstre) says that foreign tourists can now cancel their planned vacation in Norway and that cottages and hotels can be filled with Norwegian tourists instead.

”"We are now opening up for Norwegians to travel around our beautiful and long country this summer. I hope that many will take the chance to become tourists in their own country, not least because it is important for that industry to survive," says Iselin Nybø, according to NTB.

Georg Andrén, governor of Värmland, calls the situation "deeply serious", but welcomes the fact that the restrictions will be reviewed in June.

”"The travel restrictions remain, but they also set a reference date. June 15th will be an important date, when the Norwegian government says that they will decide whether it would be possible to open the border in some way," he says at a press conference.

”"It gives us an opportunity here in Värmland to think about what we can do to create opportunities for the Norwegian government to make a positive decision in that direction."”

Source: TT