Airlines start vetting Czechs at Prague airport
Airlines at Prague airport started checking Canada-bound Czech passengers on
Thursday to make sure that they have the required visas for entry into the
country. Canada announced the re-imposition of visas for Czechs on Tuesday
but allowed visa demands at its frontiers for the first 48 hours. Some of
the Czechs flying out on Thursday complained about the last minute stress
they had been exposed to. Many have been forced to seek visas at the
Canadian embassy in Vienna. Around 300 visa applications were made by Friday
with Canadian officials saying they refused around 1.0 percent of them. The
Canadian move has been sparked by the surge of Czech asylum applications,
mostly from the Roma community.
EU Commissioner says Canadian asylum claims must be examined
EU Commissioner Jacques Barrot has said that the Commission wants to
understand why asylum demands are being lodged by EU citizens in Canada
before it reacts to Prague’s demands that visas be slapped on Canadians
visiting Europe. He said it was paradoxical that EU citizens were applying
for asylum in third countries. The Commissioner for justice, freedom and
security said Canada’s complaints about the surge in Czech asylum applicants
seeking to profit from its generous system needed to be probed. On the basis
of resulting findings, the Commission could make a recommendation about
whether to comply with the Czech demand for EU solidarity against Canada,
Barrot said. The Commission recommendation – promised by September - must
then be supported by member states for any across the board EU action to be
taken.
Czech minister says message over postponed visas did not get through
Czech minister for human rights and minorities, Michael Kocáb, has cleared
up some of the apparent surprise and confusion in Prague over the Canadian
move. Mr Kocáb said that Ottawa notified at the end of June that visas would
be introduced on July 7. However, when the move was postponed for a week
this was taken as a victory for Czech and EU diplomacy. The explanation that
this was only a temporary postponement somehow did not get through.
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Airlines at Prague airport started checking Canada-bound Czech passengers on
Thursday to make sure that they have the required visas for entry into the
country. Canada announced the re-imposition of visas for Czechs on Tuesday
but allowed visa demands at its frontiers for the first 48 hours. Some of
the Czechs flying out on Thursday complained about the last minute stress
they had been exposed to. Many have been forced to seek visas at the
Canadian embassy in Vienna. Around 300 visa applications were made by Friday
with Canadian officials saying they refused around 1.0 percent of them. The
Canadian move has been sparked by the surge of Czech asylum applications,
mostly from the Roma community.
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