Debate: Security Situation in Slovakia Good Now, But Likely to Change

Debate: Security Situation in Slovakia Good Now, But Likely to Change

Bratislava, February 15 (TASR) – Slovakia’s security situation vis-a-vis migration is good so far, relative to other European nations, but it’s necessary to be prepared that this will change, concurred participants of a panel debate entitled Migration Crisis and Security Risks: Implications and Challenges for Slovakia.

The debate, featuring academics, security experts and politicians, was organised on Monday by the Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava.

According to Zdenek Dvorak from Zilina University’s Faculty of Security Engineering, these preparations should consist in debating the issue at all possible forums, according to Dvorak, who added that the search for good solutions is needed because “because the migrants will indeed come.” Dvorak believes that the current situation, with the migration wave virtually bypassing Slovakia, won’t be sustainable for much longer.

Interior Ministry’s Migration Office director Bernard Priecel reported that only 29 people have applied for asylum in Slovakia this year. “So, nothing dramatic is taking place here,” said Priecel. According to him, this is due not only to the fact that Slovakia isn’t a target country for migrants, but also because of the poor security situation in Ukraine. “The pressure from the east is far lower than in the past, because anyone may pay with their life for transiting through this country,” noted Priecel by way of suggesting just how unwelcome these migrants are in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Human Rights League chair Zuzana Stevulova said that as the EU is attempting to deal with the problem together, Slovakia will have to retreat from its current “very negative attitude” towards accepting migrants.

Lawyer Peter Kresak, running for Most-Hid in the March 5 general election, stated that while the public discourse in Slovakia tends to link migration to terrorism, these two issues actually aren’t related. Making such a link is dangerous in fact, he stated. “The waves of migrants are due to the disastrous and life-threatening situation in their countries,” believes Kresak.

Conversely, security analyst Juraj Zabojnik didn’t share Kresak’s opinion, pointing out that the security situation in Europe has deteriorated by letting in millions of migrants last year.

“We opened the gates and extended invitations to … millions of people to come to Europe,” he said, adding that the November 13 terror attacks in Paris were the handiwork of mentors who successfully employed young migrants.

“These people will never join the labour market, they’ll never be satisfied – and that’s excellent material for religious leaders to work with,” said Zabojnik.

MEP Richard Sulik (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) deems the current European asylum system, which emerged after WWII, as obsolete. According to him, it’s designed to help, say, a Saudi blogger who due to his opinions ends up persecuted in his home country. “The asylum system is designed to deal with individual cases, but what’s happening now is an invasion of several millions of people yearly,” said Sulik.