Slovakia putting temporary controls on border with Hungary amid migration rise

Slovakia will impose temporary controls on its border with Hungary due to a rising number of illegal migrants, the government said on Wednesday, a reaction to checks that the Czech Republic and Poland put on Slovak borders.

Slovakia has faced an eleven-fold increase this year in the number of illegal migrants, largely coming from the Middle East and Afghanistan, crossing into the country from Hungary as they head to Germany and Western Europe.

Slovakia’s checks on its border with Hungary, to begin Thursday, will last 10 days, according to a government decree.

They follow steps taken by neighbours the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria on Wednesday to place temporary controls on their borders with Slovakia.

The government said nearly 40,000 illegal migrants have passed into Slovakia since the start of the year. In September alone, illegal migration figures were as high as in all of 2022.