Prague, March 12 (CTK) – A sharp conflict has erupted between Greece and the Czech Republic as Greeks repeatedly did not allow a Czech liaison immigration officer entry to the hotspots where refugees are registered in the country, daily Pravo writes Saturday.
Due to this, Czechs have no chance of monitoring who and in which way is accepted by Greeks and who is let by them further to Europe, Pravo writes.
Worse still, the Czech Republic does not know at all what persons may head for it within the relocation plan, it adds.
During next weeks, the Czech Republic should accept the first 20 persons from Greece, Pravo writes.
“Greece has provoked an international conflict with the Czech Republic,” Pravo quotes a senior security source as saying.
“We do not think cooperation should look like this. This has been lasting for six to eight weeks,” he adds.
The situation is also frowned upon by Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (Social Democrats, CSSD), Pravo writes.
“I can confirm that our liaison officer for relocation has not received the permit to visit the hotspots from Greece for several weeks,” Chovanec is quoted as saying.
“We consider this conduct a sign of distrust I will certainly deal with at the first meeting with my Greek opposite number,” he added.
Chovanec said he would demand a clear explanation of why Greeks were proceeding in this way.
“I will want to hear the clear reasons that have motivated my counterparts. At the moment there is unfortunately the speculation that the policy was associated with the criticism of the working of the registration places in Greece and their real state, expressed by the Czech Republic,” he added.
Czech authorities are preparing a sharp reaction after the next meeting of Chovanec and Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, also a Social Democrat, Pravo writes.
“The hotspots do not work,” Pravo quotes a senior member of the Czech security community who requested anonymity, citing the reasons for which Czechs must not inspect the hotspots in Greece.
The Czech Republic asked Greece to allow the visits to the hotspots on February 1-5. However, Greece has never reacted to the diplomatic note, Pravo writes.
In a subsequent phone call, the Czech embassy in Greece contacted the relevant Greek office. It said it permitted the visit by a Czech liaison officer.
After entering the Moria hotspot at the Lesbos Island, the officer learnt on the spot that no official permit of the visit had come there, Pravo writes.
Due to this, he was forced to leave the place.
The Czech Republic tried several more times to visit a hotspot in the islands of Leros, Kos and again Leros in February and March, but the permits were always denied, Pravo writes.
In addition, it cannot be ruled out that the Greek steps are a sort of revenge for its criticism by the Czech Republic, it adds.
The Czech Republic has pledged to accept 2,691 refugees from the centres in Greece and Italy by the end of 2017.
