Off the wire
• Senior UN official voiced "deep concern" over new outbreak of violence in CAR  • Poland plans to raise tax-free bracket: FinMin  • Police detain man suspected of killing woman in retirement home  • World cannot afford to pay price of violence against women, girls: UN chief  • Over 729,000 Haitians vaccinated against cholera in UN-supported campaign  • New liquid waste plant to boost sanitation in Ghana's capital  • Austrian FM rejects Turkish threats to allow refugees into Europe  • Malta halves deficit in first 10 months of 2016  • Scotland, Wales demand access to EU's single market as part of Brexit deal  • Austrian fruit harvest sees massive drop due to late frost  
You are here: 　 Home

Czech leaders reject Turkish threat to open border to refugees

Xinhua, November 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Both Czech President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka rejected on Friday Turkey's "attempt at political blackmail" by threatening to open its border to refugees who want to get into Europe.

Sobotka said that both Turkey and the EU must do their utmost to observe their migration agreement signed in the spring.

In reaction to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's threat to open its borders to the refugees who want to get into Europe, Sobotka said at a press release that both Turkey and EU must do their utmost for the spring deal to be observed.

The Czech government supported the agreement because it is one of key instruments to cope with the migrant crisis, one based on the principles of border protection and stemming illegal migration, both of which are in long-term priorities.

The scaring with a migration wave must not become subject to political bargaining, said Sobotka.

He said the crucial thing is to continue the dialogue, in which the EU should emphasise its interest in democratic Turkey, and Europe must also carry on its projects aimed to reinforce its external borders.

EU must be pushing for the striking of a peace agreement in Syria, which would enable refugees' return to the country.

Zeman said he has criticised the EU-Turkey migrant readmission deal for a long time. He labelled Ankara's threat as blackmail and called for the fortification of EU borders at a separate press conference.

Zeman said he thought Europe should not let itself blackmailed, and it should react to this threat by a consistent fortification of its external borders, something it should have done long ago.

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek wrote on his twitter that the EU-Turkey agreement is based on clearly defined obligations the two sides must meet. Europe does meet its part of the deal. Its fulfilment should not be affected by strong political statements.

In response to Thursday's European Parliament proposal to freeze EU accession negotiations with Turkey, the Turkish president threatened to open Turkish border to refugees who want to get into Europe. Endit