Prague, June 16 (CTK) – The Czech opposition parties, TOP 09, the Civic Democrats (ODS) and Dawn, asked for a special lower house session on the immigration crisis in the EU Tuesday, in reaction to the government coalition preventing a debate about it, their representatives have told reporters.
The session will be held at 18:00 on Thursday.
The government parties did not enable the opposition to discuss the issue at the regular session of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, that started Tuesday.
The opposition parties are collecting signatures in support of a special session. They need at least 40. The ODS, TOP 09 and Dawn groups have together 52 MPs.
After the signatures are delivered to the lower house chairman, he must convoke the session within ten days.
TOP 09 deputy chairman Miroslav Kalousek said he would pass on the signatures to Chamber of Deputies chairman Jan Hamacek (CSSD) tonight.
Hamacek told CTK in the evening that he had already received the request and convoked the special session for Thursday evening.
The same three opposition deputy groups also initiated the latest extraordinary session of the lower house to express no confidence in the government that was held on May 26. However, they failed to topple the cabinet of Bohuslav Sobotka, comprised of his Social Democrats (CSSD), ANO and Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL).
The opposition Communists (KSCM), ODS and Dawn of Direct Democracy for a debate on the immigration crisis in the EU and the proposed obligatory quotas for the acceptance of refugees Tuesday.
They wanted Sobotka or the respective ministers to inform the Chamber of Deputies about the Czech Republic’s preparedness for a possible influx of asylum seekers.
