'High spirits' as Czechs meet neighbours on borders

• The Czech Republic, which registered more than 8,400 confirmed cases of the virus and almost 300 deaths on Saturday morning, closed its borders on March 16.

PRAGUE: Hundreds of Czechs met people from neighbouring countries on the borders on Saturday within a "Saturday for Neighbours" event set to bring neighbours together amid the virus lockdown.

"We held 14 meetings today," Veronika Krizkova, informal spokeswoman for the event which started on Facebook in early May, told AFP.

"It is a meeting of family members divided by the border, but also friends and colleagues who haven't seen each other for two months now," she added.

The Czech Republic, which registered more than 8,400 confirmed cases of the virus and almost 300 deaths on Saturday morning, closed its borders on March 16.

On April 24, it reopened several major border crossings as it started easing its anti-virus measures, but kept borders closed in most places.

People returning to the country from abroad must now submit a negative coronavirus test.

"Our recommendation for Czech citizens to travel abroad only when absolutely necessary remains in force," Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek said Saturday.

He added the Czech government would discuss changes next week as many other European countries including hard-hit Italy have come up with plans to open borders.

Saturday's meetings took place on 12 crossings with Germany, one with Austria and one with Poland, Krizkova said.

"We waved at each other and talked across the border. We also had a guitar player so we sang together," added Krizkova, who attended a meeting of some 70 people south of the Waidhaus-Rozvadov motorway crossing in western Czech Republic.

The first five meetings were held on May 2 and Krizkova said the next round would take place on May 30.

"About 150 people, high spirits, local Czech police and very friendly!" Stephan Messner, attending a meeting southeast of Dresden, wrote on the event's Facebook page in German.