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Czech Republic rejects mandatory permanent migrant quotas: PM

Xinhua, April 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Czech Republic will reject the mandatory permanent quotas for the redistribution of migrants at the EU interior ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka announced on Twitter on Monday.

The announcement came after the government approved a mandate to this effect on Monday.

The Czech government considers such plans unacceptable, preferring instead a functioning agreement with Turkey and European border and coast guards.

Sobotka said on Sunday he could not rule out the country taking actions against migrant redistribution across EU countries if introduced. He said he hoped the Czech Republic would prevent the approval of migrant quotas in cooperation with other countries, adding these proposals would boost illegal migration.

Earlier this month, the European Commission presented two alternative proposals on the asylum policy, one of which introduces permanent redistribution quotas. The government said in an earlier press release the European Commission's proposal was "absolutely unacceptable." Endit