Czechs extend Slovak border checks to curb migration

Czech policemen walk on patrol at the border with Slovakia near Stary Hrozenkov, Czech Republic, on Sept. 29, 2022. (AP/File)

• Slovakia has recently seen growth in the number of migrants and asylum seekers
• Slovakia detected approximately 24,500 undocumented migrants from January to August

PRAGUE: The Czech government said Wednesday it would extend random checks on the country’s border with Slovakia by 20 days until November 22 as it seeks to curb illegal migration.
Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland introduced checks on their border with Slovakia in early October, then prolonged them to November 2.
Slovakia has recently seen growth in the number of migrants and asylum seekers coming largely from Serbia via Hungary and heading to wealthier Western European countries.
“Until a really efficient protection of the EU’s outer border is in place, we will have to tackle the impact of illegal migration on the inner borders of the Schengen area,” Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said on X, formerly Twitter.
Slovakia detected approximately 24,500 undocumented migrants from January to August, compared with 10,900 for all of last year.
It launched checks on the Hungarian border on October 5 in response to the measure adopted by Prague, Vienna and Warsaw the day before.
Austrian and Polish authorities were not immediately available to comment on Prague’s latest move.
Germany, where many of the migrants and asylum seekers are heading, tightened checks on its eastern border with the Czech Republic and Poland at the end of September.
Austria also announced checks on its border with the Czech Republic on October 17.
The countries tightening controls are all members of the European Union and of Europe’s Schengen open-borders zone.
The reintroduction of border checks in the Schengen Area is permitted in exceptional circumstances, and Brussels must be notified before implementation.