BRATISLAVA\PRAGUE, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia will close the pedestrian crossings in Velke Slemence and Ubla on the border with Ukraine starting Tuesday Slovakian Interior Minister Robert Kalinak announced Monday.

    The move, together with the establishment of health check-points on crossings that remain open, is a response to flu epidemic in Ukraine.

    At least 67 Ukrainians died as a result of this epidemic, third of them reportedly of swine flu. More than quarter million of people have fallen reportedly ill with it.

    Kalinak warned Slovaks not to travel to Ukraine without really serious reasons.

    In Prague, Czech Minister of Interior Martin Pecina told the press Monday his country is willing to send humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in the value of five million Czech crowns (about 300,000 U.S. dollars).

    But the assistance will not be provided for now. "It seems the situation in Ukraine may not be as critical as the media suggest," Jan Fischer, head of Czech government said.

    The authorities are monitoring the situation and will evaluate available information, he added.