Turkey plans to resume flights to about 40 countries in June and reached preliminary agreements on mutual air transportation with 15 countries, Reuters reported referring to Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said on Thursday.

Turkey has closed its borders as part of measures to curb the COVID-19 outbreak. Domestic flights resumed on June 1, as Ankara eased restrictions after a significant reduction in infection rates.

Karaismailoglu said that in June flights will resume in five phases, adding that Turkey is negotiating with 92 countries to resume safe flights.

According to him, flights to Bahrain, Bulgaria, Qatar, and Greece will resume on June 10. Flights to 17 destinations, including Germany, Austria, Croatia, and Singapore, will resume on June 15. Flights to another 16 countries will begin on June 20, 22, and 25, including to South Korea, Qatar, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium.

The 15 countries with which Ankara reached a preliminary agreement to resume mutual flights include Italy, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Albania, Belarus, Jordan, and Morocco.