Time to hit the slopes! Czech ski resorts can open starting December 18

Prague, Dec 4 (CTK) - Ski resorts in the Czech Republic will be allowed to open as of Friday, December 18, Health Minister Jan Blatný (for ANO) told reporters on Friday.

The date is six days earlier than had originally been planned, and will allow skiers to head to the mountains in advance of Christmas.

Anti-COVID-19 regulations to be taken at resorts will be announced on Monday, after discussions between the coalition government of ANO and the Social Democrats (ČSSD).

"We made an effort to give people who want to go skiing an opportunity to get to the mountains before Christmas, since we believe that most of them actually go there to practice sport and not just for evening entertainment," Blatný said.

The earlier opening will also help both the visitors and ski service operators to get used to new rules at resorts until Christmas.

According to initial information regarding those regulations, operators will have to ensure distances between people waiting for ski lifts are kept, along with other measures. Refreshment kiosks are not likely to be opened.

PM Andrej Babiš (ANO) originally mentioned December 24 as the deadline for opening local ski resorts, the same as in neighboring Austria.

Operators did not agree with that date, calling it unsubstantiated. They said it would cause immense financial losses, amounting from hundreds of thousands to millions of crowns.