(ANSA) - BOLZANO, 03 GIU - Austria will not reopen the border with Italy for the time being, announced Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. "We open to 7 neighboring countries and there will be no more checks, just like before the coronavirus crisis. The available figures do not allow us to do the same with Italy, but we intend to do it as soon as possible," said the minister at a press conference.

"It is not a decision against Italy," underlined Schallenberg.

The Austrian government will carry out a re-assessment next week about a possible opening of the border with Italy, Schallenberg said. "We see - he added - that the situation in Italy has greatly improved and that some regions, such as South Tyrol, have good Covid data." Therefore, Austria will "seriously" consider the South Tyrolean proposal to allow travel to some Italian regions. "The goal remains to reopen the border with Italy, as soon as data allows it," the minister said. (ANSA).