Ahead of the main summer season, the Czech Republic will strengthen assistance for citizens in popular holiday destinations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will expand consular services, particularly in Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece, which are countries that attract a large number of Czech tourists every year. A rapid deployment consular team will also be on standby, ready to travel to affected areas in the event of an emergency.

According to Foreign Minister Petr Macinka of Motorists, this is a practical measure for situations where Czech citizens encounter problems abroad. Consular assistance is often needed in cases of lost documents, traffic accidents, hospitalizations, deaths, arrest by local police, or during crisis situations in tourist areas. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has long emphasized that consular services cannot resolve common travel complications for tourists, but can provide assistance in serious situations, when communicating with local authorities, hospitals, or family members in the Czech Republic.

The importance of seasonal consular reinforcements was recently demonstrated by a tragic accident near Split, Croatia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that after a yacht collided with a catamaran between the islands of Brač and Šolta, assistance was provided by the embassy in Zagreb and the consular office in Split. Czech diplomats were in contact with Croatian authorities, a hospital, an insurance company, and the families of those affected. Cases like this highlight why the state strengthens its presence in the most popular holiday regions during the summer.

The measures will also include Czech police officers in joint patrols in Croatia and Bulgaria. This cooperation has been in place for several years. The police officers typically operate in tourist areas, where they assist Czech citizens in communicating with local police. This is not an independent exercise of the authority of the Czech police, but rather a form of support that can be important in situations such as traffic accidents, thefts, lost documents, or other emergencies. The Czech Police has previously emphasized that Czech police officers serving abroad do not carry weapons, and their main added value is their knowledge of the language and the Czech environment.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that tourists register with the DROZD system before traveling. Voluntary registration allows the state to quickly contact citizens in the event of a crisis, such as fires, floods, security incidents, or traffic restrictions. The Ministry also reminds people to check the validity of their documents before traveling, to obtain comprehensive travel insurance, and to save the contact details of the Czech embassy and the emergency hotline.

These summer measures are not just a formal step before the holidays. Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece are among the countries that attract a high number of Czech tourists each year, and this increases the number of situations where rapid assistance from the state can be crucial. The strengthened consular services, the rapid deployment team, and the joint police patrols are designed to ensure that Czech citizens abroad do not lack support in critical moments.

gnews.cz - GH