After the shooting, armed police stay in position at the scene in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (source: TASR)
Slovak politicians have expressed their shock and have sent their condolences after the terrorist attack in Vienna, which claimed lives.
“In these difficult moments, our minds and hearts are with the citizens of Austria,” Slovak MFA Ivan Korčok wrote on Twitter. “We deeply regret the casualties. Our solidarity belongs to all those who lost their loved ones.”
Korčok also sent a condolence telegram to his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg.
President Zuzana Čaputová wrote on Twitter she is deeply saddened by the shameful terrorist attack in Vienna.
“We are united in standing up to hatred and terrorism,” she noted.“We are united in standing up to hatred and terrorism,” she noted.
Speaker of Parliament Boris Kollár, who is still in the hospital after being involved in a car crash, accepted the news about the terrorist attack with sorrow. He sent his condolences to his Austrian counterpart Wolfgang Sobotka.
“I express indignation about what happened and also condolences to the whole Austrian populace,” he wrote, as quoted by SITA. “In these difficult moments, we are with you, thinking of you and praying for you,” the message read.
PM Igor Matovič posted that he is saddened by another tragic act of terrorism. “My thoughts are with the families of victims and citizens of Austria,” he wrote. “No part of Europe is immune to attacks on our values. We all have to be strong and vigilant.”
Border controls for safety
The Slovak Interior Ministry took all necessary steps to ensure the safety of Slovak citizens in Vienna, wrote Interior Minister Roman Mikulec on Facebook.
“We are communicating about the current situation in our western neighbour with the Austrian side too,” minister Mikulec wrote.
The Slovak police also asked Slovaks in Vienna who have some photos or videos capturing the work of police or the movement of the attackers to turn to the Austrian police. They should not publish it.
“By publishing it, the lives of policemen would be put in danger,” police added, as quoted by the SITA newswire.
The police also reported that there are border controls on crossings with Austria. They sent officers to the locations that have been evaluated as risky. Besides controls on the road, there will also be checks on railway transport, cycling routes and water transport – ferryboat Záhorská Ves Angern.
The Slovak Information Service wrote on its Facebook page that they are carefully observing the situation in the Austrian capital. They are also in contact with their Austrian counterparts and the Interior Ministry.
