Prague, Sept 23 (CTK) – The Czech Senate supported Wednesday the EU’s plan of fighting illegal migration including the liquidation of people smugglers’ boats, and it recommended that the EC focus on the causes of migration and on creating legal and safe migration channels for refugees heading for Europe.
The Senate, the upper house of parliament, said it is crucial for the EU to focus on cooperation with the countries from which refugees come and mainly on a better protection of their borders and the stabilisation of the given regions.
The Senate also said the EU’s present repatriation system is ineffective and has been misused by people-smugglers’ networks.
The senators took note of the government report on the EU developments in 2014 and of the Czech military radio operators’ participation in NATO’s Active Fence exercise in Turkey, whose goal is to enhance the anti-aircraft defence of Turkey in connection with the conflict in Syria.
The operation has nothing to do with the recent military activities of Turkey and the USA against Islamic State, Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky told the senators.
The Senate supported an agreement on Croatia’s accession to the European Economic Area and several other international agreements, before closing its September session.
Its next session is scheduled for the end of October.
