Czech government to start checks on Slovak border due to migration rise

FILE PHOTO: Leader of Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and Together (SPOLU) coalition candidate for prime minister Petr Fiala and Leader of the Mayors and Independents Party Vit Rakusan attend the last radio debate before the country's parliamentary election in Prague, Czech Republic, October 8, 2021. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo/File Photo

The Czech government will temporarily reinstate controls on the border with Slovakia on Thursday to respond to a rise in illegal migration, Czech government officials said on Monday.

Illegal migration - mostly from Syria - rose by 1,200% this year, Interior Minister Vit Rakusan told news conference.

"What we are going through this year is unprecedented. Since the beginning of 2022, police have detained 11,000 illegal migrants," Rakusan said.

"This is transit migration, the vast majority of them aimed for Germany. This raised nervousness on the German side of the border as well," he added.

The checks will initially last for 10 days, Rakusan said.

Central European EU countries and the border check-free Schengen zone have given refugee status to more than 400,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war, of which around 300,000 are estimated to be staying in the country and are not included in the illegal migration data.

Rakusan said Czech neighbours have been informed of the decision.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Bill Berkrot)