OREANDA-NEWS. Czech President Milos Zeman in an interview with a local radio station said that the ban on citizens traveling abroad should be extended for a year to prevent a new outbreak of coronavirus, according to the Czech news publication.

According to Zeman, citizens do not need to travel abroad, and during the summer holidays they should "enjoy the beauty of Czech landscapes". The president himself said that he personally would go on vacation to Vysochinsky Krai in the southeast of the country. According to Zeman, the opening of borders will lead to people traveling to countries with high levels of infection, which could again worsen the epidemiological situation in the Czech Republic.

In turn, travel agencies are asking the government to give at least an estimated date for opening borders. The vice-president of the Czech Tourism Association, Jan Papezh, believes that the authorities could allow citizens to travel, including to Bulgaria, Greece, Thailand, Vietnam or the Maldives. The Czech Republic has completely closed its external borders since March 16. Citizens can leave the country only with special permits.