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In view of the increase in crown numbers, both Slovakia and the Czech Republic want to re-impose the state of emergency. That is certainly necessary, said Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis of the populist ANO party on Monday night on Nova TV channel. It assumes that the cabinet will meet in Prague on Wednesday in a special session to decide on this step.
The state of emergency was in effect for two months in the spring and expired in late May. Among other things, it allows the government to suspend civil rights such as freedom of assembly. Courts can also impose higher penalties.
In the Czech Republic, regional elections and by-elections will be held on Fridays and Saturdays in one third of the electoral districts of the Senate, the upper house of parliament. The government had recently ruled out a postponement. Mouth and nose must be covered when voting.
In the last 14 days, the Czech Republic had the highest number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in Europe after Spain and France. On Sunday, 1305 cases were added, according to official data. That was the highest increase on a Sunday since the start of the pandemic. The number of deaths related to a Covid-19 disease exceeded the threshold of 600. Germany has issued a travel warning for the entire Czech Republic, Austria for the capital Prague.
Also in Slovakia, the country’s crisis team has decided to re-declare a state of emergency. This was announced by Slovak Chief Hygienist Jan Mikas on Monday evening at a press conference in Bratislava.
The government will definitely have to decide on the crisis team’s proposal, which is expected to happen on Wednesday, he said. There was already an emergency in Slovakia during the first Corona wave in spring, but only for the health sector. This should allow the mobilization of health workers and prohibit health workers from being on vacation or on strike. It should now be applied nationally and without restrictions to one area.
Despite the start of the second crown wave, Slovakia will not put neighboring Austria and Hungary on the red list, as had been feared for days. No changes or restrictions on the border regime are planned, Mikas explained, arguing that the situation in Slovakia is currently almost as bad as in the two neighboring countries.
