Following news of widespread assaults and robberies in the German city of Cologne on New Year’s Eve, with women and girls as the predominant victims, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrat, ČSSD) has called for increased protection of EU borders.
His Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico (Smer-SD), went further, saying that his goal was not to let Muslims into the Slovakia, and he called for the next EU summit to be on the topic of migration.
Sobotka posted his comments on his Facebook page on Jan. 8. “Recent events in German cities show how important the security and integration aspect of the solution to the migration crisis is,” Sobotka said.
He emphasized that refugees had to abide by the laws and regulations in the countries where they seek asylum. “Those who do not appreciate the offered help, break the rules or even commit crimes should be automatically expelled from the EU,” Sobotka said.
He also called for continued action. “It is important to continue to insist on the rapid strengthening of the protection of the external borders of the EU,” he said.
“The Czech Republic is ready to support all steps that lead to the urgent establishment of a European Border and Coast Guard, including a possible extraordinary meeting of the European Council. It is also very important to consider whether Turkey fulfills the promises it gave concerning the regulation of migration,” he said.
Slovakia’s Fico has been more critical of the EU’s handling of the refugee crisis. Fico said Slovakia would fight against immigration from Muslim countries so that Slovakia would not face terrorist attacks or waves of crime.
“We don’t want something like what happened in Germany taking place in Slovakia,” Fico said Jan. 7, adding that Slovakia had to protect its women from being molested in public places.
He called multiculturalism a fiction that has failed. “Once you let migrants in, you can face such problems,” Fico said, adding that he would oppose anything that led to the creation of a “compact Muslim community” in Slovakia.
“The migrants cannot be integrated; it’s simply impossible,” he said.
Some 170 criminal complaints have been filed in Cologne, Germany, regarding a series of thefts and physical and sexual assaults that took place on New Year’s Eve.
As of Jan. 8, German police have identified 31 people as playing a role in the wave of attacks, with 18 of the persons of interest being asylum seekers.
According to the German Interior Ministry, the persons of interest in the attacks include nine Algerians, eight Moroccans, five Iranians and four Syrians, two Germans, an Iraqi, a Serb and a US citizen.
The police chief of Cologne has stepped down from his position in an effort to restore public confidence.