Security level:
The crime rate is not higher than the EU average. Increased vigilance regarding possible theft of documents or valuables should be present when travelling on public transport or taking walks in the later hours of the day.
Incidents of deliberately damaging tyres of vehicles have been found during stops at petrol stations, with the intention of the driver stopping further down the road and leaving his belongings unattended to be stolen.
There have been cases of theft of front number plates of vehicles for use in committing crimes or breaches of the peace.

Healthcare:
The level of healthcare meets European standards. The European Health Insurance Card enables the right to medical assistance in emergencies, which is available to all citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria with continuous health insurance rights.
Without a health insurance card, each visit to a medical facility is charged according to the price list of the respective facility.

Specifics of the local legislation:
Bulgarian citizens need to know that poaching in Slovakia is considered a criminal offence and is severely punished, including ‘imprisonment’.
In case of non-payment of the ‘electronic duty’ by vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes or combinations of vehicles with a total weight of over 3.5 tonnes, a fine of EUR 700 or more is imposed.
There is a legal zero tolerance for alcohol while driving.

Customs requirements:
Allowed import of alcohol and cigarettes - 1 litre of alcohol and 200 cigarettes per person.
Customs requirements for Slovakia can be downloaded from HERE.

Road traffic:

Traffic in Slovakia is in the right lane.
Electronic vignettes for cars are valid for motorways and first-class roads, and the prices are:
10-day - EUR 10;
30-day - EUR 14;
Annual - EUR 50.
Electronic vignettes can be purchased from vending machines at the border, at petrol stations, or online at www.eZnamka.sk.
Provisions in the Road Traffic Act
It is compulsory to drive with the low beam headlights on all year round. There should be a spare set of bulbs in the car to use in case one burns out.
Talking on mobile phones while driving is only allowed with a hands free device, while holding a phone, camera or other audio-visual device in your hand while driving will be absolutely prohibited.
Setting up a radio station or entering a destination into the GPS by the driver while driving is also prohibited.
Representatives of the transport police carry out strict control of compliance with the Road Traffic Act, especially speed limits, the requirement to wear seat belts (front and rear), to turn on the lights of vehicles, etc.

Important for foreign drivers:
In order to improve the collection of fines already imposed but unpaid, the changes to the law give traffic police the right to detain the driving licence and registration certificate of foreign drivers until the fine is paid;
If a police officer comes across a car that has violated traffic rules in the past, but the driver was not found then, he has the right to fine the driver who is currently in the car.
Information specifically for drivers of vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes or combinations of vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes:
For vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes or combinations of vehicles with a total weight of over 3.5 tonnes, a fee is payable in the form of a so-called ‘electronic duty’.
A map of these sections, as well as of the points at which an on-board odometer can be rented, can be found at : https://www.emyto.sk/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=d0038a8b-dd8f-434d-a487-9be4f69d8e7a&groupId=10136
The amount of the fine imposed for driving without a technical odometer device or without paying an ‘electronic duty’ is up to EUR 1,500, and increases in cases where the offence is contested.
- The rules for the payment of ‘electronic duty’ must be observed;
- In cases where the red light on the device is on, the amount must be topped up at the first possible point (usually a petrol station);
- In the event of a malfunction in the reading device, the car must be stopped and the company ‘SkyToll’, which maintains them, must be contacted immediately, the coordinates of which are as follows:

SkyToll, a. s.Apollo Business Center
Address: Prievozská 2/a, 821 09 Bratislava, Slovenská republika
Telephone: + 421 2 32 60 70 11
Fax: + 421 2 32 19 94 02; + 421 2 32 19 94 03
E-mail: [email protected]

After notifying SkyToll, act in accordance with their instructions;
If stopped by the specialised police authorities and found to have committed an offence related to non-payment of the ‘electronic duty’, drivers should be aware that as participants in administrative and criminal proceedings (in case they do not know Slovak), they have the right to request that the act presented to them for signature be in Bulgarian or, otherwise, that an interpreter be called to translate it for them;
The act should not be signed until an interpreter arrives or until it is presented in Bulgarian;
In cases where the law enforcement officers try to force the signing of the act in Slovak, paying serious attention to the retention of the driving licence, the driver should express his willingness to have it retained, while at the same time again categorically refusing to sign the act without an interpreter or in a language foreign to him. In this case, the specialised police officers are obliged to invite the driver to go with them to the Directorate to clarify the case and return his licence. The vehicle should be locked, in which case the responsibility for ensuring its security shall be assumed by the police authorities;
The issuing of such a summons shall not be a reason for signing the act to which the driver does not agree or does not understand its content;
The driver should be aware that the specialised police officers are only entitled to retain his driving licence if:
- The driver has been found to be under the influence of alcohol and/or other intoxicating substances;
- He is carrying (in his luggage) dangerous objects, drugs, etc.;
- He has been issued with a ticket and has signed it, but refuses to pay the fine immediately.
In connection with the above, we draw your attention to the fact that the driver's licence can only be forfeited if the driver has signed the offence report.

Amount of fines for traffic offences can be downloaded HERE.

The following should be borne in mind:
-The table does not include the most serious offences, where the penalty is determined after further clarification by the sanctioning authority of the circumstances of the offence and its consequences.
-The table applies only in cases where the driver does not contest the infringement. If challenged, the amount of the penalty shall be determined by the Transport Inspectorate.
-The table does not include cases of criminal liability where the court has jurisdiction.

Other information
Information specifically for drivers of vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes or combinations of vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes:
-The rules for the payment of ‘electronic duty’ must be observed;
-In case the red light on the device is on, the amount should be topped up at the first available point /most often a petrol station/;
-If a malfunction is detected in the metering device, the car should be stopped and the SkyToll company that maintains them should be contacted immediately, with the following coordinates:

SkyToll, a. s.Apollo Business Center
Address: Prievozská 2/a, 821 09 Bratislava, Slovenská republika
Telephone: + 421 2 32 60 70 11

Fax: + 421 2 32 19 94 02; + 421 2 32 19 94 03
E-mail: [email protected]

- After notifying SkyToll, act according to their instructions;
- When stopped by the specialised police authorities and found in violation for non-payment of the ‘electronic duty’, drivers should be aware that as participants in administrative and criminal proceedings (in case they do not know Slovak), they have the right to request that the act presented to them for signing be in Bulgarian, or else that an interpreter be called to translate it for them;
- The act is not to be signed until the interpreter comes or until it is presented in Bulgarian;
- In case the law enforcement officers try to get the driver to sign the report in Slovak by paying serious attention to the retention of the driver's licence, the driver should express his willingness to have it retained, while at the same time again categorically refusing to sign the report without an interpreter or in a language foreign to him. In this case, the specialised police officers are obliged to invite the driver to come with them to the Directorate to clarify the case and return his licence. The vehicle should be locked, in which case the police will be responsible for providing security. The sending of such an invitation is not a reason for signing an act to which the driver does not agree or does not understand its content;
The driver should be aware that specialised police officers are only entitled to retain his driving licence if:
- The driver was drunk;
- If they carry (in their luggage) dangerous objects, drugs, etc;
- They were issued a ticket and signed it, but refused to pay the fine immediately. In connection with the above, we draw your attention to the fact that the retention of the licence can only be carried out if the driver has signed the offence report.

Changes related to the ‘electronic duty’ system can be found at HERE.

Changes to Slovak legislation on the control of vignette stickers can be found at HERE

Local currency:

Euro (EUR).

Others:

Labour market:
There are no restrictions for Bulgarian citizens to access the local labour market. In the Slovak Republic, pursuant to paragraph 75 of the Labour Code published in No 311/2001 of the State Gazette, the employer is obliged to provide the employee with a performance appraisal within 15 days of the employee's request, but not earlier than 2 months before the termination of the employment relationship. This document contains all written information relating to the employee's job performance evaluation, qualifications, abilities, and facts pertaining to job performance.
Upon termination of the employment relationship, the employer is required to issue the employee with a certificate of termination of the employment relationship, stating the duration of the employment relationship, the type of work performed, deductions from wages, details of liabilities, and information about the compensation provided.

If the employee is a citizen of a Member State of the European Union, the employer is obliged to notify the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family not only upon his/her entry into employment but also upon his/her termination of employment (form - information card), always within 7 working days, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 23b of Act No 5/2004 on Employment Services.
Due to the increased number of fraud cases by incorrect intermediary companies, we recommend Bulgarian citizens interested in employment in Slovakia to contact the specialized agencies for recruitment of workers on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy: www.mlsp.government.bg

Emergency telephones:
• 112 - European emergency telephone number;
• 150 - fire brigade;
• 155 - ambulance;
• 158 - police;
• 159 - local police;

Recommendations to foreign tourists visiting Bratislava can be found HERE.

A valid identity card or passport is sufficient to enter and stay in Slovakia. There is no requirement for a minimum remaining validity of the identity card or passport used to enter the country.

Slovakia is part of the Schengen area, so there are no border and customs controls at its land borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Austria. Inside the territory of the Slovak Republic, checks are carried out by mobile customs teams.

There is an obligation for foreigners to register with the police if their period of residence exceeds 90 consecutive days.

Certifications and legalizations
According to Article 10 of the current Treaty on Legal Aid and Settlement of Legal Relations in Civil, Family, Labour and Criminal Matters signed between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Slovakia, documents drawn up or certified by a competent authority in accordance with the prescribed form and stamped shall be accepted in the territory of the other country without the need for further legalization (no Apostille stamp is required).
At the Consular Office with the Embassy you can certify:
• the signature on a private document - powers of attorney, declarations, etc.;
• the content of a document concerning the purchase and sale of a property;
• the accuracy of a copy or a copy of the original;
• the signature of a sworn translator.
Documents/deeds subject to entry in the Bulgarian registers may NOT be certified or drawn up at the Embassy Consular Office.

Bulgarian identity documents:
Any Bulgarian citizen residing in the country may submit an application to the Embassy for the issuance of a passport, an identity card and an Emergency Travel Document.
A birth certificate must be presented when the first identity card is issued.
In case of loss, theft, damage or destruction of an identity card and/or passport, a police document certifying these circumstances shall be presented.
In order to issue an Emergency Travel Document for returning to Bulgaria in case of lost/stolen documents, a document from the police must be presented. If the person applying for an Emergency Travel Document does not have a document proving his/her identity (driver's license, copy of an ID card or a passport), he/she must come with two Bulgarian citizens to guarantee his/her identity.
To issue an Emergency Travel Document for children born abroad, the child's local birth certificate and the presence of both parents are required.
Obligation to return an expired passport: within three months after the expiry date of the passport, holders must surrender it to the Consular Office with the Embassy or to the relevant district police station of residence in Bulgaria.

Preparation of documents abroad:
Primary certificates of civil status (birth, marriage, death) are issued by the competent Slovak authorities (the Civil Status Office in the municipality concerned).
Important: On the basis of the Treaty concluded between the People’s Republic of Bulgaria and the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, which is still in force, the civil registry offices in the respective municipality shall send to the Embassy the originals of the certificates of civil status, which shall be translated, duly certified and sent through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the respective municipality.
When the interested person can and wishes to carry out the registration in person or through an authorized person, he should present the relevant Slovak certification document, translated and certified according to the established procedure, to the relevant municipality in Bulgaria:
• for the birth of a child - at the permanent address of the mother and, if she is a foreigner, of the father;
• for a civil marriage before the Slovak authorities - at the permanent address of the husband and, if he is a foreigner, of the wife;
• for death - at the permanent address of the deceased.
The deadlines for registration must be respected. Particular care should be taken not to miss the deadlines for recording the birth of the child.

Other:
Payment of fees due is cashless, via POS-terminal.