Prague, Nov 18 (CTK) – The EU must learn speaking unanimously, form a joint armed force of a deterrent character, and launch a consistent policy of migrant readmission, if it wants to prevent the rise of extremist parties, Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec says in daily Hospodarske noviny (HN) out on Wednesday.
“The EU simply has to persuade its citizens that it is capable of ensuring their safety. If it fails to do so, the European parliament may grow brownish in five years,” Chovanec (Social Democrats, CSSD) said, mentioning Marine Le Pen´s nationalist party in France and Eurosceptics in Germany.
“Unfortunately, in the countries with a welcoming approach to immigration, extremists will be rising because people will realise that the government neither understands them nor does it solve their problems,” Chovanec said.
“People are afraid and they feel fear rightfully,” Chovanec says in reaction to HN´s remark that even educated people call for a resolute action such as the sinking of one boat with refugees as a step to discourage others, or the transfer of all Muslims from France.
“Recently I attended a party hosted by a doctor, where all participants were doctors and nurses who often see patients suffer and die…They showed no understanding for the migrant wave either. These opinions [opposition to migrants] are not those of a mere xenophobic minority, but are also espoused by educated people,” Chovanec said.
He again criticised the EU´s failure to protect its external border and sink the boats of people smugglers.
