The Czech Republic government has announced the extension of random border controls with Slovakia. Interior Minister Vít Rakušan announced during a press conference on Wednesday. The extension will last another 30 days, until February 2, 2024. If this decision had not been made, the controls would have ended on Wednesday at midnight.
The border controls were initially implemented to prevent illegal migration across Czech territory. The government activated the checks last year in October, and according to the latest decision, they were supposed to last until Wednesday midnight.
The controls were initially set in coordination with Poland and intended to last ten days, starting from October 4. The decision to start these checks was also due to concerns about increasing illegal migration.
Following the Czech Republic’s initiative, other regional countries introduced similar controls. Like the Czech Republic, these countries have repeatedly extended the duration of their border checks. At the end of last year, Poland announced that it would be extending its controls on the Slovakian border for a month until February 1.
The extension of border controls reflects ongoing concerns about illegal migration in the region, with governments taking steps to secure their territories. As the situation continues to develop, what further measures will be taken remains to be seen.