Czech PM backs EU plan to curb migrants in wake of Mediterranean disaster

EU leaders have been holding an emergency summit following the latest mass drowning of migrants attempting to reach Europe across the Mediterranean. Among those in Brussels has been Czech PM Bohuslav Sobotka. He backs an EU plan aimed at reducing the number of migrants attempting the perilous journey – but continues to oppose quotas for the acceptance of refugees.

Photo: CTK

In one of the worst disasters of its kind, more than 800 people attempting to reach Europe drowned off the coast of Libya last weekend.

With the number of would-be migrants meeting their deaths in the Mediterranean this year already at around 1,750, European Union leader Donald Tusk convened an emergency summit to discuss the crisis.

Before his departure for Brussels, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said his government backed a 10-point plan aimed at reducing the number of people attempting the perilous journey.

“We are ready to support all EU measures that help Spain, Malta and Italy to face that pressure. We believe that the EU and its specialised agency Frontex should be more active in the Mediterranean Sea.”

But given the Czech Republic is itself neither on the Mediterranean nor a top destination for illegal migrants, is the issue really a priority for its government? That’s a question I put to Radko Hokovský of think tank European Values, who is in Brussels.

Bohuslav Sobotka, photo: Filip Jandourek

“This is certainly a major European crisis or European problem. And even though the country is not confronted directly with this huge problem, I think that the politicians actually do understand that we cannot shy away from it.

“They recognise that the Czech Republic has to participate in solving this problem.

“I believe that the Czech Republic is one of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe which do actually take this issue more seriously.”

Prime Minister Sobotka is in favour of EU plans to combat people smugglers and has pledged to send aid to states that produce a lot of migrants.

However, he has again rejected the idea of European states being obliged to take in a certain number of refugees.

Radko Hokovský, photo: archive of Charles University

Radko Hokovský says most members are opposed to quotas – and that the European Commission’s plans in this regard are not yet clear.

“In the case that it is a voluntary mechanism, then the Czech Republic is ready to participate, even though in small numbers.

“But some kind of obligatory mechanism of relocation of refugees is something the Czech Republic does not want to support.

“Because this would be politically very damaging and every Eurosceptic party and politician could very clearly say, Look, Brussels is telling us that we have to take this or that number of refugees or immigrants. And this would really play very badly with the public.”