Czech PM Babis says closing borders in EU unacceptable

PRAGUE: A demand by Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Bavarian allies for border checks within the EU to curb migrant arrivals into Germany is unacceptable to the neighbouring Czech Republic, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Tuesday.

Babis said the 28-country European Union still has a lot to do on migration, but it should not forget its core principles, including the freedom of movement. The Czech Republic is a member of the EU's Schengen open-border area.

"Recent disputes over migration in Germany leads to proposals of closing borders and renewal of border controls which is unacceptable for us," Babis said at a conference on the EU in Prague.