PM Babiš wants to withdraw from UN migration pact

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš will propose that the Czech Republic joins Hungary and Austria in withdrawing from a United Nations pact on migration, saying that it blurs the dividing line between legal and illegal migration. Mr. Babiš made the statement at an annual security conference in Prague on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček (Social Democrats) added that joining the pact at this moment would be counterproductive. The government is set to debate the issue next week. Mr Babiš said he would like to discuss the matter with the Social Democrats, the junior partner in the ruling coalition, prior to the government meeting.

The non-binding Global Compact for Migration, which aims to make migration safer, was approved in July by all 193 UN member states expect the United States that pulled out last year.