Prague, Nov 24 (CTK) – The danger has approached the Czech border and it is naive to believe that there is no link between the current migrant wave and terrorism, President Milos Zeman told a command meeting of the military yesterday.
For terrorists, the Czech Republic is still a transit country, with which we cannot be satisfied, Zeman said.
The belief that there is no link between the current migration and terrorism would imply the assumption that the migrant wave “does not include any potential jihadists whose number we naturally cannot exactly estimate, while some of them were implicated in the Paris attacks,” he added.
The French police have said a number of the attackers from Paris came to Europe across Greece.
Reacting to Zeman’s statement, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) said the danger was posed by terrorists, not refugees who had to be helped.
“The danger is now posed by terrorists, not refugees. Islamic State fighters are a risk to European security, not those fleeing them,” Sobotka said in a press release.
“Terrorists must be faced with a determined fight and the migrant wave must be regulated on the EU outer border. We must help the people fleeing the war,” Sobotka said.
In the debate on the attacks that have claimed about 130 victims, the Czech Republic is also mentioned as a transit country through which terrorists sometimes go to Western Europe.
“So far, the Czech Republic has only been a transit country for the terrorists. We cannot be satisfied with this,” Zeman said.
“The command of various terrorist operations has recommended Prague as a safe transit route, as shown by the recent attacks in Paris,” he added.
Zeman went on to praise the military’s work in foreign missions in which Czech units are fighting terrorism far away from their homes to lessen the risks of the attacks in the Czech Republic.
Zeman said due to the migrant wave, a new potential task for the military had appeared.
He praised the preparation of soldiers for a possible deployment in border protection.
“The task of the Czech military is to prevent a specific form of committing crimes, which would assume importance especially at the moment where the German-Austrian border were closed” and the migrant wave spilt over to the Czech Republic, he added.
Chief of Staff Josef Becvar said the military should be prepared for a change in the migration route.
Becvar said the military was primarily getting ready for a military threat, but it must also be ready to intervene if there were a non-military danger, such as on the Czech border.
“Defence is not only an affair of the military, it relates to all citizens. This is the basic thing and everyone should realise this,” Becvar said.
Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky (ANO) pointed out that the Czech Republic helps Hungary and Slovenia cope with migration.
“As far as I now, minimally the Slovenian mission will be extended,” Stropnicky said.
He said he has “many mixed feelings” in relation to the migrant crisis.
Stropnicky said he feels to be a European and a comsmopolitan. That is why he minds it that Europe, built for the times of prosperity and security, is not capable of coping with problems. When they appear, it is hesitant and not capable of action.
Next year, the Czech military is to continue with a number of its foreign missions including that in Mali.
In the first three months of next year, Czech special forces will go there for a mission planned in the long run.
The number of Czech soldiers in Mali may also be increased in order to help France in its struggle against terrorism.
Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky (ANO) said the Czech Republic was helping Hungary and Slovenia to cope with the migration.
“As far as I know at least the Slovenian mission will be prolonged,” Stropnicky said.
Stropnicky said a number of major exercises would be held in the military next year.
For the first time since 1989, there will be a training of mobilisation procedures, starting with small units, Stropnicky said.
However, citizens will not be called up in arms, he added.
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