CORONAVIRUS/Slovakia adds Taiwan to safe countries for COVID-19

Taipei, Sept. 30 (CNA) Taiwan has been included on Slovakia's list of countries considered safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning that from Thursday, Taiwanese people who visit the country are not required to self-isolate or undergo mandatory screening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said on Wednesday.

The Slovak government announced recently that Taiwan has been listed among 31 countries on its "safe green list" from an epidemiological perspective, the ministry said in a statement.

This shows that Taiwan's success in disease prevention has won international recognition, MOFA said.

Taiwan, as the second-largest Asian investor in Slovakia, provides thousands of jobs in the country and the two countries maintain close and frequent interactions, MOFA said.

In recent years, Taiwan and Slovakia have taken steps to advance their cooperation in science and technology, business and trade, and environmental protection and culture, according to the statement.

It said Slovakian Prime Minister Igor Matovic has previously lauded Taiwan's efforts to keep COVID-19 under control.

Several Slovakian heavyweight parliamentarians have also publicly thanked Taiwan for donations of materials and equipment for infection prevention and control to their country and called on the World Health Organization not to exclude Taiwan from the organization, the statement said.

Slovakia's plan to open its borders to citizens of Taiwan will help deepen and expand bilateral relations and facilitate the development of the world economy and trade in the post-COVID-19 era, MOFA said.

In addition to Taiwan, others among the "safe countries" include Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, the Vatican and China, according to a notice from the Public Health Office of Slovakia.

However, Slovakia is set to declare a state of emergency this week to combat the COVID-19 pandemic due to a spike in new cases, Matovic announced Monday, with all sporting and cultural events, as well as religious services, to be banned from Oct. 1.