In response to the request made by Spain to the Atlantic Alliance Euro-Atlantic Center for Disaster Response Coordination, Turkey this week sent a significant donation of medical supplies to Spain.
Spain knows the restrictions imposed by Turkey for the exit of medical devices due to the worrying evolution of the pandemic in that country and the decision to deny all licenses for the export of medical devices, including those destined for countries of the European Union. In response to that decision, the EU Member States and the Delegation of the European Union in Turkey submitted a joint request for the export licenses for the material already purchased.
Spain has also made bilateral efforts with Turkey to obtain the material acquired, including efforts by the Minister of Health and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation with their counterparts. Spain appreciates that the Turkish authorities have authorized most of the pending export licenses.
The only license not authorized to date is that relating to respirators purchased from a Turkish company by the Governments of the Autonomous Communities of Castilla La Mancha and Navarra, suspension conditioned by the risk of shortage of respirators in Turkey. The Turkish authorities have indicated their commitment to extend such licenses as soon as possible, as soon as the health situation has stabilized. In the event that the transaction does not take place, the Turkish company must return the amount paid for inability to deliver the goods.
