Health Minister Viliam Čislák (R) with his spokesman Peter Bubla. (source: TASR)
The country has agreed to accept about 500 asylum seekers from Austria, and is expected to house them in a Slovak Technical University dorm in the municipality of Gabčíkovo. After the government session, Čislák said that there had been a meeting with his Austrian counterpart, but that the negotiations have not been concluded yet.
“We have sent questions and they are answering them,” he explained. “My idea is that the result is as good as possible for us,” he concluded, adding that Slovakia is interested in knowing about the state of health of the temporary asylum seekers and whether they will be under medical supervision as well as whether they have been vaccinated. The issue of assessing their health and a potential emergency regime is being tackled, too.
“For us, it is very important to be aware of their state of health, what Austria will diagnose them with, whether they will be vaccinated, and so on,” Čislák specified, according to TASR. Slovakia is also negotiating who will cover the cost of the asylum seekers’ medical treatment and care. “It will probably be borne by the Austrian side,” he added.
The Slovak Health Ministry’s goal is to ensure the safety of Slovak citizens. The Minister also stated that his country has not yet considered the possibility of sending doctors to regions facing an influx of immigrants. Currently, Slovakia is awaiting the arrival of the first refugees who are undergoing the asylum process in Austria. Based on the agreement of the Slovak and Austrian governments, a total of 500 asylum seekers should be accommodated in Gabčíkovo.
