Andrej Babis's recent election victory in Czechia makes some Ukrainian refugees there fear they could become targets of a growing anti-immigrant sentiment, despite their legal status and contribution to the economy.
In the Czech Republic, a law could soon allow for the deportation of migrants after repeat criminal offenses. If passed, it would also limit access to asylum and temporary protection, according to Czech media reports.
The Council of Europe has pushed back against calls from nine member states to revise how the European Court of Human Rights interprets migration-related cases. Secretary General Alain Berset warned against politicizing the court, stressing that its independence is essential to protecting fundamental rights and democratic stability across Europe.
The Czech Republic has announced plans to tighten its immigration controls significantly. Although the actual numbers of migrants and asylum seekers in the country is relatively low.
Citing the number of asylum seekers as still "far too high", German state leaders met to discuss tightening border controls, extending checks with neighboring countries, and expediting the deportation of rejected asylum seekers.
Police in the Czech Republic stopped the truck on the motorway between Prague and the German city of Dresden. The central European country is a frequent transit route for migrants seeking to reach Germany.
The Greens are urging the European Commission to address the border controls implemented at Germany's land borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Switzerland. They say the checks not only go against Schengen values but could result in other drawbacks.
Czech police detained 139 migrants in the first half of 2024, down from 799 held over the same period last year, according to official data.
Hungarian, Czech and Austrian parties have created the Patriots for Europe grouping, which aims to secure more influence for right-leaning and far-right parties in the new European Parliament.
Two Turkish nationals are accused of smuggling 28 migrants in a refrigerated, airtight truck from the Czech Republic to the eastern German state of Saxony over the weekend. Both suspects are in custody.
The Czech government has lifted the temporary checks it placed on its border with Slovakia four months ago.
The German government claims that the introduction of border checks with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland have reduced the number of unauthorized entries.