• Proclamation of an extraordinary situation and state of emergency (in the area of health providers) by the Slovak Government from March 16, 2020 6 a.m. for a period of 14 days
• Prohibition of retail sale in shops, sale of services in establishments from March 16, 2020 6 a.m. for a period of 14 days, with exceptions, including the sale of food, hygienic products, medicaments and animal feed; opened may be also tobacco and newspaper shops, textile cleaning services, gas stations, auto services, towing services, banks, insurance companies, telecommunication operators, post offices, veterinary ambulances and funeral services; e-shops, food takeaway and delivery services in general are not restricted. It is planned that the above list of stores and services will be closed on Sundays. It will be a sanitary day, as well as a day off for staff.
• Prohibition of various public and private events, such as spectacles, sport events, markets, exhibitions and many others
• Prohibition of the presence of the public in restaurants (food delivery may remain operational) and other establishments
• Strict travel restrictions to/from Slovakia, including the total closure of borders and relaunch of border checks
• Temporary closing down of schools and universities
• Cancellation of air traffic
• Mandatory quarantine of persons arriving/returning from abroad (14 days).
• Spreading coronavirus is a crime

The above measures are only examples, the list is not exhaustive. The situation is evolving very rapidly, as are the extraordinary measures being taken by the Slovak Government and Administrations. Constantly checking the current state of affairs and updates is necessary.

CIVIL PROCEEDINGS

The Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic and Slovak courts have adopted preventive measures in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic with the aim of preventing the unnecessary presence of people in their institutions. Despite this, the Slovak judicial system runs uninterruptedly. 

The chairperson of the Slovak Bar Association addressed an official letter to the Prime Minister asking him to consider suspending all ongoing litigations (all hearings cancelled and no new hearings summoned) and the suspending of all procedural and material time-limits. The new Government (appointed on 21 March) announced it will adopt some measures in this regard (e.g., suspension of time limits), however, these have not yet been officially adopted.

POSTPONEMENT OF DEADLINE FOR FILING INCOME TAX RETURNS

The newly-formed Slovak Government has adopted the postponement of the standard deadline for filing an income tax return and the payment of the tax by three months to June 30, 2020, for all taxpayers, due to Covid-19 and the financial difficulties many individuals and entrepreneurs may face.

OTHER MEASURES IN PREPARATION

The Slovak Government is planning a number of other measures for individuals and entrepreneurs aimed at overcoming the current situation; however, the introduction of these measures requires the adoption of appropriate legislation, which may take some time.

This summary is for informational purposes only and may not be considered a legal opinion or advice on how to proceed in a particular case. The summary reflects the status as of March 23, 2020.

For any legal matters arising in these special circumstances, please do not hesitate to contact our Covid-19 Help desk at covidhelpdesk@peterkapartners.com.