Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda will press Canada to lift visa regime

On a 4-day state visit to Canada that is due to end on Monday, Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda told reporters that there is no reason Canada should continue to insist on visas for Czech tourists. Besides opening a new Czech General Consulate in Toronto, the main aim of Svoboda's visit is to convince Canadian officials to abolish the current asymmetrical visa requirements. Canada imposed visa requirements on Czech citizens in October 1997, following a wave of Roma arrivals who asked for political asylum in Canada. The Czech foreign minister says he is prepared to file a suit against Canada at the European Court if the meetings in Ottawa are not successful. As a member of the European Union, the Czech Republic can request that the EU impose visa requirements on Canadians. Canadians have not required a visa for the Czech Republic since the country joined the EU on May 1st, 2004.