Slovak Police continues with the practice of sniffer dog trainings, however the procedure where an actual explosives sample is put into travellers' luggage has been banned, said Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak at a press conference in Bratislava on Thursday.

After a break of more than a month, the first-class roads in Slovakia could soon be tolled again. This is according to Prime Minister Robert Fico, who made the announcement following his meeting with road transporters, representatives of the National Highway Company (NDS), road toll system provider SkyToll and Transport Minister.

During the live security tests, Slovak authorities planted eight plastic explosives, in the luggage of unsuspecting passengers. Seven items were detected by airport security, but the eighth one was lost and unwittingly transported to Dublin.

The number of lorries stuck on the border crossing points to Slovakia is increasing. The problems caused by introductions of new Slovak electronic road toll system.

"The new electronic road-toll system is not ready," stated the Union of Slovak Motor Carriers (UNAS). As much as the operator SkyToll claims that the system has been launched and works perfectly, transport companies disagree with that.

According to UNAS, 20 Turkish truck drivers couldn't secure a board unit anywhere in Slovakia while passing through. From Trstena to Ruzomberok (both in Zilina region), the drivers couldn't get a single working board unit. They were told the system had crashed and the registration is not possible.

The Slovak Republic changes the system of charging the road infrastructure from highway stickers to the electronic toll collection system. The new electronic tolling system put into operation at midnight on 1st January 2010.

It can be expected that there will be traffic jams as of January 1 at Slovak border crossings, as lorries will be registering for the new Slovak electronic road toll system. Border crossings with the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria will certainly be most affected.

National Highway Company CEO Igor Choma said that special contact places have been established as well in order to make the registration process faster.

Motor vehicles will be again allowed to cross the Schengen zone border with Ukraine at the Slovak-Ukrainian checkpoint Ubla as of Sunday, November 29. The ban still holds for pedestrians. The physicians were recalled from the border crossings, but police and customs officers continue to use protective face masks and disposable gloves.

Largest Slovak transport companies temporarily shut down their regular international bus links until further notice, due to the increased number of respiratory diseases in Ukraine.