Czech interior minister defends extension of border checks

The decision of the Czech government to extend checks on the country’s border with Slovakia until December 12 is fully in line with Schengen agreements, Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said in response to criticism from Slovakia on Friday. Slovak Interior Minister Roman Mikulec said that Slovakia considers the move to be in violation of the Schengen agreement on free movement and the readmission agreement on the transfer of migrants.

The Czech government first introduced the checks at the end of September and has repeatedly extended them due to the increased flow of illegal migrants, mainly from Syria, who use the country as a transit route on their way to Western Europe.