The Czech government, led by the extremely unpopular Prime Minister Petr Fiala, is pushing to pass a migration law before the upcoming elections, aiming to implement parts of the EU’s migration pact with minimal parliamentary review.
Interior Minister Vít Rakušan argues the bill would speed up deportations and tighten asylum rules, but the opposition ANO party—expected to win in October—staunchly opposes the move.
The government plans to bypass standard legislative procedures, submitting the bill directly to parliament. If approved in the first reading, it would skip committee debates and amendments. ANO, with its 71 parliamentary seats, has the numbers to block the fast-track approach and refuses to engage in discussions over what it calls an inadequate proposal.
Shadow Minister Karel Havlíček and ANO’s parliamentary leader Alena Schillerová accuse the government of quietly enforcing the EU migration pact. They argue the legislation is insufficient and insist ANO will introduce its own stricter asylum policies if it wins power. Meanwhile, government officials claim the measures would deter migrants and bolster border security.
At the EU level, MEP Danuše Nerudová warns that outright rejecting the migration pact could trigger legal consequences for the Czech Republic. Other Visegrád nations, including Slovakia and Hungary, have vowed to ignore the agreement, setting the stage for potential fines and legal battles with the European Commission.
