Slovakia's ombudswoman Mária Patakyová has questioned the legality of the strict border regime. She pointed out that it has left families divided and that it is unclear under what legislation the original border controls were implemented. Moreover, lawyers Zuzana Števulová and Lucia Plaváková, both from the non-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia party, issued an analysis suggesting that the restricted regime on the Slovak border had been regulated for three weeks only by statements made by then government of Peter Pellegrini at press conferences.
The current government of Igor Matovič has issued some official documents but, according to the lawyers, still left the legal framework incomplete. Števulová explains that while EU member states have a right to impose temporary border controls for reasons of public order, health or safety, „temporary border controls do not mean a total shutdown of borders". The lawyers asked the current government to remedy the situation, and the government has been looking into this issue.
Last week the Government decided that border checks aimed at minimising the risk of coronavirus spreading remain in effect until May 27th.
