Slovenská Pošta, a national postal services provider, traditionally records an increased interest in its services in the pre-Christmas period.
It receives around 100,000 parcels a day before Christmas.
The provider therefore asks its customers to be cautious of deadlines if they want their parcels or letters to be delivered by Christmas.
Within Slovakia
Customers should send their parcels within Slovakia by no later than December 20, Slovenská Pošta announced.
It added that the recommended deadline for sending postcards or second-class letters is December 19, otherwise they may be delivered after Christmas.
For first-class letters, the latest deadline is December 20.
Customers can also use BALÍKOBOXes, available 24/7, for the delivery of their shipments.
Shipping abroad
However, sending shipments abroad takes longer. Slovenská Pošta advises people to send parcels and letters in advance.
If customers want to send letters or parcels abroad, letters must be submitted to post offices no later than December 16, and parcels no later than December 15 for European Union countries.
As for shipments to overseas countries and European countries outside the EU, Slovenská Pošta has said that people should send them more in advance. Moreover, for shipments that contain goods, customers should expect a longer customs procedure time than usual in the country where the shipment is to be sent.
From abroad to Slovakia
In the event that customers want to send parcels from abroad, Slovenská Pošta recommends that they deliver parcels to Slovakia at least seven to eight working days before December 24, due to the obligation of customs control.
Regarding letter shipments, the provider recommends that they be delivered at least five to six working days before December 24, depending on whether it is a letter or goods.
On December 2, Slovenská Pošta also announced that it would check shipments from Ukraine more thoroughly following the detection of dangerous shipments in Spain originating from Ukraine.
At the start of December, an employee of the Ukrainian embassy in Spain was injured after opening a letter bomb. According to CNN, Ukrainian embassies in other EU countries have also recently received suspicious packages.