Czech Republic introduces checks at border with Slovakia

Czech Republic introduces checks at border with SlovakiaOctober 4, 2023

Prague, Oct 4 (IANS) The Czech Republic is to introduce checks at its border with Slovakia from Wednesday onwards, due to an “increase in illegal migration,” the country’s Interior Ministry announced.

The Ministry said on Tuesday that the random checks along the “entire land border” with Slovakia will last for 10 days, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Random checks at Slovak borders will help us effectively fight against groups of smugglers. The measure is temporary and we approach it in close coordination with Poland, which is introducing similar controls,” Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said.

Any extension of the inspections will depend on the current situation, the Ministry has said.

“The numbers of illegal migrants to the EU (European Union) are starting to grow again,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on social media platform X, adding that the government had therefore reacted quickly.

Last September, the Czech Republic introduced border controls along the frontier with Slovakia in a bid to crack down on illegal migration and organised smuggling groups. The measure remained in place till early February.

–IANS

int/khz

https://ians.in/detail/czech-republic-introduces-checks-at-border-with-slovakia–20231004053952/