Czech prime minister says EU summit discusses Afghanistan, pandemic, illegal migration

Withdrawal of troops from the republic is a wrong step which may contribute to the creation of a world terrorist centre there, Andrej Babiš said

European Union leaders discussed the situation in Afghanistan, the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and illegal migration in Europe at their meeting. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš told reporters on Friday.

“It is bad that we are leaving Afghanistan. We should be replaced by Turkey”, –  he said. The prime minister said the withdrawal of international coalition troops under NATO auspices was a wrong move that could contribute to the creation of a global terrorist hub there.

Babiš said the summit discussed the epidemiological situation in the EU and methods to combat a variant of the Indian strain of the Delta coronavirus. He stressed that in Prague, unlike the rest of the Czech Republic, the epidemiological situation is worsening.

“Everyone is wary of Delta. We have to be very careful”, –  the prime minister added.

The meeting talked about illegal migration in the European Union. The problem, according to Babiš, needs to be solved in the countries where potential refugees live. The leaders of the Baltic States, he specified, informed their colleagues that a new route for illegals to enter the EU has emerged, which begins in Afghanistan.