"Slovakia can open its borders if the state of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the surrounding countries is as favourable as in our country," stated Prime Minister Igor Matovič in response to a request from Slovak representatives abroad for the gradual liberalisation of the border checks. According to Matovič, the protection of people in Slovakia is a priority, adding that the morbidity in the surrounding countries is now about ten times higher than in Slovakia. Representatives of Slovaks living abroad, mainly in the Czech Republic, appealed to the Slovak and Czech state authorities for a thoughtful and cautious but significant gradual easing of the border controls between the two countries. They point to the fact that the coronavirus situation in the two countries is comparable and that residents of the two countries thus do not represent a threat to each other.
Furthermore, Interior Minister Roman Mikulec stated on Wednesday that the checks on Slovakia's state borders would probably be extended. The draft government regulation extending the temporary reintroduction of internal border checks has already been submitted for the Government session. If approved, border checks aimed at minimising the risk of coronavirus spreading will remain in effect until May 27.
