Last Monday saw a couple of weeks long puzzle solved when the Canadian Department of Citizenship and Immigration announced re-introduction of visa for Czech citizens due to recent surge in asylum seekers. The introduction was immediate, forcing many Czechs to travel to Vienna Canadian Embassy since the Prague embassy does not issue visa.
Some of our readers commented on the various aspects of the debate saying Canada is only doing what any other country would in the same situation, adding that it is up to the Czech Republic to deal with the Roma issue. Another reader calls for a united approach to fix the Roma problem rather than avoiding it by “closing the door”.
A Roma reader expressed disappointment at Canadian visa imposition since the Roma will not have a chance to escape the neo-Nazi attacks.
In the meantime, the Czech Republic reacted by introduction of visa for Canadian diplomats while the European Commission announced they do not plan to impose EU visa on Canada automatically. Though, last Thursday the current EU president Sweden expressed support for implementing EU visa for Canadians.
• Does visa introduction suggest Canada is closing the door on the Roma?
• Should EU back its member state and introduce reciprocal visa?
• Is visa requirement discriminatory against the Czechs?
