A Slovak Mountain Rescue Service vehicle. (source: Korzár/Jana Otriová)
On the one hand, millions of euros from the Recovery Plan have been allocated for the development of tourism; on the other, the services of professional mountain rescuers in national parks are being cut.
"Schizophrenia" is how Ladislav Ladomirjak (Smer), mayor of Zboj in the Snina district, dubbed the decision close the Mountain Rescue Service station in his village. It leaves Poloniny National Park, in the hilly north-eastern corner of Slovakia, as the only mountain national park in Slovakia without professional mountain rescuers.
The closure fell on April 1, but it was no April Fool’s joke.
