"I can't imagine what would have to happen to prevent the [plan's] definitive approval," Langer (Civic Democrats, ODS) said. The Schengen area is to expand to include nine countries that entered the EU along with Cyprus in 2004, i.e.
including the Czech Republic and Slovakia. As of December 21, checks should be lifted on the Schengen area's inner ground borders. At international airports they are Czech police not to fully leave border after Schengen entry ...
EU interior ministers say nine new countries ready for Schengen zone ...
Joint guards to patrol on Slovak-Austrian border within Schengen ...
Czech government to spend 187 million on Schengen system ... to be lifted in late March next year. In the Czech Republic, whose all neighbours will be Schengen participants, all ground border checks are to be lifted as of December 21. Langer told CTK in Brussels that the costs of the Czech preparations, equipment and staff training for Schengen entry are estimated at some 500 million crowns. "However, this was a challenge that cannot be outweighed with money. Irrespective of this, it was worth accepting," Langer said. The ministers yet have to formally approve the Schengen expansion in early December, after the EP discusses the step. The EP, whose role is only advisory in this point, is to debate the Schengen issue in mid-November. Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-Social Democracy) said that the imaginary entrance gate to the Schengen area was opened today. He said Schengen expansion means not only the lifting of border checks but also of the division of Europe into the old and the new ones. At present, the Schengen area includes 13 EU countries (the former Fifteen without Britain and Ireland), plus Norway and Iceland. ($1=18.289 crowns)
(Ceske Noviny)
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