Smer-SD party President Robert Fico has criticised the government’s policy towards tolerating illegal migration in southern Slovakia. He stated that the current situation is not due to goodwill but rather the government’s efforts to ensure as many migrants as possible reach Slovakia. Fico questioned whether all migrants are war refugees, stating that most cannot be reliably identified. He cited his experience in Velky Krtís, where he saw the disastrous conditions of migrants living in a water tank and portable toilet.
Fico fears that the number of illegal migrants in Slovakia could increase. He announced an extraordinary parliamentary session on the matter on Monday. The Ministry of Interior and police have deployed all available forces and resources to address the situation, but they claim that migrants have not yet violated public order. They also recall that these people are fleeing war to the west and will only stay in Slovakia for the necessary time to pass checks of the Slovak and European systems.
The caretaker government’s response reflects the incompetence and complacency with which the entire crisis has been handled so far. Locals point out that migrants have crossed borders illegally, entered private property, defecated and littered in parks and city centres, and have not violated any public order legislation. They also argue that if smugglers identify a country as a weak spot, the stream of large numbers of economic migrants will be constant, and those leaving will be replaced by new arrivals in ever growing numbers.
CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE NEWS
Slovakia: Fico Slams Government For Inaction Over Migrant Crisis
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