Czech interior minister to discuss migration with central European counterparts

The interior ministers of the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary are discussing the issue of migration in Prague on Thursday, one day ahead of the extraordinary meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels called by Czech interior minister Vít Rakušan. Mr. Rakušan told the Czech News Agency that the main topic on Thursday's agenda will be the current situation on the Western Balkan migration route and its impact on Central Europe. Friday's extraordinary meeting was called to deal with the disputes surrounding the introduction of border controls inside the Schengen area and the reception of migrants picked up in the Mediterranean.

The increase in the number of migrants arriving in the EU in recent months has put a strain on relations between some EU member states. Some countries, including the Czech Republic, reacted to the situation by introducing border controls, which created tensions in Czech-Slovak relations.

Friday's second agenda item refers to the recent dispute between Italy and France over a humanitarian ship carrying migrants rescued from the Mediterranean, to which Italy refused entry. After waiting at sea for two weeks to be assigned a port, the ship finally docked in France. After this incident, France strengthened border controls with Italy.