Czech President, legislative heads say EU should beef up border protection, Czech Army should be ready if that fails

The European Union should beef up the protection of its external borders according to Czech President Miloš Zeman, Czech Senate leader Milan Štěch and Czech Chamber of Deputies leader Jan Hamáček (both Social Democrats). If EU measures do not aid the situation, then the Czech Republic should enhance its own border protection because of the ongoing migration crisis.
Štěch and Hamáček made their remarks to journalists after meeting together with Zeman. They said deployment of the Czech Army is now being considered.
"We agreed that the only possible long-term solution is to beef up protection of the external borders of the European Union, to enhance the Frontex mission, and at the same time there is also a need to be prepared for those reinforcements not to lead to the desired result and to have adequate domestic measures ready," Czech MP Hamáček said. "We agreed that there is actually a need to concentrate forces on pressuring the European Union to create a unified policy that will be effective and efficient in order to keep these refugees on the African continent and in the Arab world," said Czech Senator Štěch.
Should that not be possible, Štěch said there would be no choice but to significantly beef up protection of the Czech Republic's borders, perhaps through special Army exercises. Hamáček expressed the conviction that the Czech Republic is dealing well with increased migration for the time being.
Hamáček said he sees room for improvement, for example, in arranging for health care for refugees, some of whom have diseases Czech health authorities do not have much experience with. In his view it would be worthwhile to support the hospitals located near facilities for migrants.
Don't miss:
- Hungary: Demonstration against fence on Serbian border says "Jesus was a refugee too"
- EU and UN criticize Hungary for local treatment of Roma and border fence plans
- Hungary erecting four-meter-high fence against migrants on its border with Serbia
- Hungary: Almost half of the population would close the border to asylum-seekers
Related articles:
- Brno cancels new refugee camp idea after overwhelming criticism and pressure from Czech Govt Human Rights Commissioner to negotiate on the situation of Romani refugees
- ERGO Network: Roma Week 2022 at the EP was the biggest meeting yet between EU politicians and Romani representatives
- PHOTO GALLERY: Protesters create an "alley of shame" in front of Brno City Hall to protest city representatives' treatment of Romani refugees from Ukraine
- Czech Republic's second-largest city to see day of demonstrations tomorrow against treatment of Romani refugees and their children
- Czech capital and Government to "investigate" measures to motivate refugees from Ukraine to relocate from "overloaded" places
- Czech mayor makes openly racist statement that her town just wants "white" refugees from Ukraine, not children and women of Romani origin
- Czech Police tell public broadcaster that of more than 5 000 Romani refugees from Ukraine who have been vetted, just 150 have Hungarian passports
- Tomáš Ščuka: Representatives of Czech Republic's second-largest city say Romani women from Ukraine here are not refugees and they will not aid them
- Czech civil society representatives from the Grand Initiative: We couldn't ignore the inhumane conditions in which the Romani children and women fleeing the war are living in Brno
- Child welfare official for Czech Republic's second-largest city says she did not threaten to take custody of Romani refugee children from Ukraine but won't say what she told their mothers
- Volunteers in Czech Republic's second-largest city form initiative to aid destitute, homeless Romani women from Ukraine after the city and the state have failed them
- Tomáš Ščuka: City of Brno's rhetoric toward the Romani refugees from Ukraine is shameful - are the local politicians really so shameless themselves?
Tags:
EU, Immigration, refugee, ArmyHEADLINE NEWS
