Number                              : 89780865-153-

Subject  : Entrance/Exit Measures for Provinces and Age Limitation

As to manage the risk caused in terms of the community health by Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak spreading very quickly through physical contact, air and etc. and rapidly infecting a great number of people all around the world, it is vitally important to ensure absolute social isolation by minimizing the social mobility and contact. In the contrary cases, with the acceleration of the spreading of the virus, the number of cases and treatment requirement increase and with the risk of our citizens losing their lives, the community health and public order are seriously damaged. As of the first Coronavirus case in our country, in accordance with the suggestions of the Ministry of Health and Science Council, numerous measure decisions have been taken and implemented by the public institutions and organizations principally the relevant Ministries.

At this stage, by taking the spreading rate of the virus into consideration, it has been concluded that it is required to take new measures country-wide in addition to the measures taken until today and to plan/implement additional measures for certain provinces.

Within this framework, in accordance with the suggestions of the Ministry of Health and Science Council and instructions of our President, the below mentioned additional measures are required to be taken by the governors of the provinces within the framework of Article 11/C of the Law for Provincial Administration and Article 27 and 72 of the Public Health Law in Turkey:

A- Regarding our 30 province with the status of metropolitan (Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bursa, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Muğla, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Tekirdağ, Tranzon and Van) and Zonguldak province,

1- All entrances/exits by land, air and sea (public transportation vehicle, private vehicle, pedestrian and etc.) from the borders of our 30 province with the status of metropolitan and Zonguldak province shall be temporarily suspended as of 24.00 on April 03, 2020 Friday for a period of 15 days.

2- It will be essential for all our citizens residing/staying in these provinces to stay in the relevant provinces during the period determined.

3- The entrances/exits for these provinces shall only be permitted under the below mentioned situations.

a-) Those responsible within the framework of inland and overseas transportation in the logistics, production and transportation of the products and/or materials required for the continuity of all commercial activities principally basic necessities (food/cleaning etc.) and pharmaceuticals and medical equipment and their vehicles can enter/exit with documents such as transport waybill, delivery receipt or invoice and etc. showing the type of product, place of delivery/address of recipient and date of delivery. Those entering the restricted provinces for the determined purposes can leave the province of delivery and return to the first province of exit within 72 hours with the documents showing the reason for entrance. The drivers of the commercial vehicles entering the provinces, for which entrance/exit has been restricted, in this way, are obliged to wear mask and comply with the times to change mask and to comply with the social distance in situations requiring contact.

b-) Transit passes of those transporting passengers/goods inland and transporting goods internationally from our provinces, regarding which entrance/exit restriction has been imposed, will be allowed. The commercial good transporters allowed to pass transit in this way will not be able to stop or stay in anyway except for their compulsory rest breaks/periods.

c-) Those responsible for the realization of the transportation and production of the materials required for the energy supply security in the natural gas, electricity and petroleum sector and their vehicles can enter/exit with the certificate of duty and/or delivery note prepared by the relevant company certifying their duty in the energy sector.

d-) In case the residence and place of business of the directors, employees or owners of the business partaking in the business life are in different provinces, they can enter/exit between the provinces on condition of presenting the documents (place of residence/residence permit, Social Security Institution registration document) proving the relevant situation.

e-) Those responsible for ensuring the continuity of the public duty and service principally health and security can enter/exit with the document certifying their duty or identity cards.

f-) Other than those stated above, those allocated to other activities to be included within the relevant framework with the decision to be taken by the Provincial Public Health Committees by taking the special conditions of the provinces into consideration in accordance with the suggestions of the “Provincial Pandemic Committees” gathered with the participation of the representatives of the relevant professional organizations (commercial and/or industrial, chambers of artisans and agriculture and etc.) as well under the chairmanship of the governors can enter/exit with the “Travel Permit” prepared by the governorships/district governorships.

B- Regarding our entire 81 Province:

1- In all our provinces and districts, curfew shall be temporarily imposed for those born after January 01, 2000 as of 24.00 on April 03, 2020.

2- The additional measures required to be taken to minimize the inner-city mobility as of 24.00 on April 03, 2020 Friday in all provinces shall be negotiated in the Provincial Pandemic Committee and the issues recommended in the Provincial Pandemic Committee shall be finalized in the Provincial/District Public Health Committees and implemented immediately.

3- Our citizens and employees shall wear mask in market places, markets and places of business worked collectively. The obligation to wear mask shall also be applicable for the sellers in the market place.

4- In our provinces and districts, the citizens shall not be permitted to walk or stay collectively without taking the social distance into consideration at public squares, streets and boulevards and our citizens walking side by side shall be suggested to walk by keeping the social distance as well.

I kindly request that with respect to the above mentioned measures, the necessary decisions shall urgently be taken by the governors/district governors in accordance with the relevant legislation; no disruption shall be allowed in the implementation and no agreement shall be caused; in accordance with Article 282 of the Public Health Law in Turkey, principally administrative fine shall be imposed to the citizens failing to comply with the decisions taken and in accordance with the degree of the contradiction, necessary action shall be taken as required by the relevant articles of the Law and with respect to the criminal acts, the necessary procedural actions shall be initiated within the framework of Article 195 of the Turkish Criminal Law.

Süleyman SOYLU

MINISTER