Czech officials initiate Višegrad Group meeting on migrant crisis

With the swelling number of migrants surging through Eastern Europe, calls have intensified in the Czech Republic for better EU coordination in coping with the escalating migrant crisis. On Friday Prague will host a meeting of the Višegrad Group states which should coordinate the position of the four countries on the migrant problem.

Photo: CTK

Calls for more effective EU cooperation in resolving the escalating migrant crisis are coming from all sides, but it seems there is little agreement on a common policy. While Austria and France have criticized the EU states that rejected mandatory migrant quotas which would allow the EU to move ahead with a solution, the Czech Republic would like to see agreement on the joint protection of the EU’s outer borders and argues that since Europe cannot take in an unlimited number of migrants it should start differentiating between refugees in need of help and economic migrants in search of a better life.

Prague has repeatedly criticized the fact that migrants surging through the so-called Balkans route are often allowed free passage indiscriminately on their way to Germany and has offered technical and material assistance not only to the EU buffer states but to transit countries such as Serbia which is also struggling to deal with the growing numbers of migrants crossing its territory.

Bohuslav Sobotka, Aleksandar Vučić, photo: CTK

On a working visit to Serbia on Tuesday Prime Minister Sobotka is to discuss the matter with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vučić. “Basically we want to hear from the Serbian side, how we can help and what we can help with” Mr. Sobotka said ahead of the visit. The Czech prime minister recently stressed the importance of incorporating the west Balkan states into the European Union and said the Czech Republic was ready to assist Serbia in the process.

Meanwhile Friday’s meeting of the Višegrad Group – the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland is expected to address the individual concerns of these countries in connection with the migrant crisis and coordinate their positions within the EU. According to Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka it should result in a joint statement.

“This joint statement should define a list of priorities that the Višegrad Group states are able to reach consensus on –firstly in addressing the reasons behind the migrant crisis and secondly in how to best deal with its consequences here in Europe.”

According to observers the four countries are likely to find common ground on several counts. They all likely to support joint protection of Schengen’s outer borders, the deportation of refugees to the first EU country they entered and the opening of reception centres for refugees in Greece and Italy. They will almost certainly join forces in rejecting the EC’s proposal for mandatory refugee quotas. The meeting may also result in a call for an emergency EU session on the migrant crisis, which has already been voiced by the Czech finance minister.

Photo: CTK

Czech officials say that they do not believe the refugee crisis is over its zenith and the country has been gearing up for its further escalation. President Zeman said on Monday that unless the EU takes fast, effective action to secure its outer borders then the Czech Republic should tighten security at its own borders, even if it means deploying the army. The prime minister assured him that while this was not necessary at the present time the army was prepared to deploy up to 2,600 soldiers for this purpose.