Czech PM says ‘no place’ for Afghan refugees in Europe

Czech Republic’s Prime Minister Andrej Babis speaks prior to a plenary session during the second day of a special European Council summit in Brussels on February 21, 2020, held to discuss the next long-term budget of the European Union (EU). AFP FILE PHOTO

PRAGUE — There is no place for Afghan refugees in the European Union which should instead help them to stay in their homeland, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Tuesday.

The return of the Taliban, a hardline Islamist group, to power in Afghanistan last month sparked an exodus from the country.

The EU, which has since received thousands of Afghan refugees, is now concerned that millions may seek refuge in Europe and its neighbors like Turkey, triggering a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis.

“There is really no place for them in Europe,” Babis said after meeting his Austrian and Slovak counterparts at the southeastern Czech chateau of Lednice.

“An option is to lead talks with (Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, like in the past, but I don’t think that’s a good alternative,” the billionaire populist Czech leader added.

He was referring to a deal between the EU and Turkey from 2016 designed to stem the flow of migrants mainly from Syria to Europe by hosting millions of arrivals in return for incentives including financial assistance.

“A better alternative is a solution making the people stay in Afghanistan,” Babis said.

Kurz said on  Tuesday that Austria had earmarked 18 million euros ($21.3 million) to help Afghans in countries neighboring on Afghanistan.

“We will try to moderate their suffering, but we agree the year 2015 should not happen again. We are against illegal migration and we will fight traffickers,” said Kurz.

“We need to seek a solution in the region and not spark another exodus to Europe,” he added.