PM says EU statement pointing to closure of Balkans route a vindication of Visegrad 4 stance

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka hailed as positive the wording of an EU communique indicating the EU would declare the Balkan route “now closed” for migrants, suggesting the move vindicated the Visegrad 4 which had pushed strongly for the step as a so-called plan B. Germany has been against. The EU is pressing Turkey to take back migrants; the Czech Republic, meanwhile, is also in favour of increased measures against human smuggling in the Aegean. On Monday, Mr Sobotka indicated that greater cooperation on the part of Turkey was needed also within NATO; he expressed the hope that Turkey’s prime minister would send a positive signal and that NATO naval operations would go smoothly.

Author: Jan Velinger