Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Health

Hundreds in Slovak capital block traffic in protest against vaccination law

Hundreds of people blocked traffic in the centre of Slovak capital Bratislava, protesting against a law which gives those who have had the COVID-19 vaccine easier access to public events and spaces, Slovak media reported on Thursday.

The law, which requires people who haven't been inoculated to take a test for such access, was approved by parliament on Sunday and signed by President Zuzana Caputova on Monday.

Slovakia joins a growing number of countries who also stipulate that a vaccine, or a negative test, will be needed for venues such as cinemas, restaurants and other closed spaces.

Small groups of protesters started arriving to a square in front of Caputova's official residence in the morning, with their numbers rising throughout the day, the Dennik N daily reported.

The protest, while peaceful, has disrupted traffic in the whole city, but the police have not moved to disperse the crowd.

A similar protest took place last Friday outside parliament, where riot police fired teargas at people who blocked the entrance and pelted the building with eggs.

As of Thursday, 35.7% of the population was fully vaccinated, data from Johns Hopkins University showed. That is one of the lowest per capita rates in the European Union.

(Reporting by Robert Muller; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.