Czech president rejects EU refugee quotas

In a speech in the Chamber of Deputies on Friday, Czech President Milos Zeman refused the European Commission (EC)-proposed mandatory quotas for immigrants in the European Union (EU).

He said that the Czech Republic should help the refugees in their own territory, and he also suggested to send a field hospital to Jordan.

He said he strongly opposed the planned immigration quotas of the EU, saying he is for the Czech Republic to help refugees within its capabilities, either on their territory or a neighboring territory.

Zeman has already rejected earlier the immigration quotas planned by the EC. His opinion coincides with the opinion of the Czech government on this issue.

Zeman said that if the EU enforced the mandatory quotas, Prague should invoke the principle of subsidiarity in the EU, which clearly says that decisions on the acceptance of refugees is up to national states.

He said that regarding the vaguely formulated article of Lisbon treaty, it does not refer to the acceptance of refugees, but to mutual aid to protect the external borders of the EU.

He said that the Czech government has already offered a CASA aircraft and experts to protect the external borders of the EU.

Zeman said that the particular form of assistance may be sending Czech's fairly unused sixth field hospital to Jordan, where 600,000 Syrian refugees live. The same proposal has been already presented by him at the February meeting of constitutional officials on foreign policy.

However, Czech Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky said on Friday that he did not consider sending of a field hospital to Jordan is a good idea.

Sending a field hospital would have to be approved by the government and its preparation would take up to six months. He said it would be better if civilian doctors could help wounded and sick refugees in the country.

He would like to discuss the issue with Zeman at a joint meeting of constitutional officials on foreign policy on Tuesday. Endit