Prague, Jan 14 (CTK) – The police will still patrol on the international border crossings with Austria, Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (Social Democrats, CSSD) told journalists yesterday.
The police have been doing increased checks over the migrant crisis for seven months, having detained over 3,300 people.
Now the police focus on the six border crossings with Austria, also making random checks at the remaining eight with other countries.
Chovanec said the Czech Republic was still cautious on the border with Austria because hundreds of refugees were still flowing to Europe daily.
In the neighbouring country, up to 100,000 applications for asylum have been recorded and there is the threat that the refugees might go to the Czech Republic illegally, he added.
“There is really a threat that the migrants might be coming from this side,” Chovanec said.
He said the scenario from last year might repeat, which would involve the resumption of border checks.
“If we have any information on the need to impose the checks, we will be ready to deploy the police and military within five hours. We are prepared for this as we have trained it,” Chovanec said.
The migrant crisis has diminished less than expected, he added.
“Thanks to the warm winter and weather, around 2,000 refugees a day are coming to Europe,” Chovanec said.
In the first 11 months of last year, the Czech police detained 8175 foreigners with illegal stay, which was 3799 more than a year ago.
These were mostly Syrians, followed by Ukrainians, Afghans, Kuwaitis and Iraqis.
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