Langer said he would take measures if it was proved that the Austrian and German police expediently focused on Czechs during general checks.
However, he declined to elaborate what measures he was considering. Langer discussed the growing number of complaints about frequent checks in the border regions with his Austrian counterpart Guenther Platter at a meeting in Prague. He told journalists later that the Interior Ministry had not registered a considerable growth in the number of complaints from Czechs travelling to Austria. On the other hand, dozens of complaints have been received from Czechs travelling to Germany. It is inadmissible for current interior checks being in reality disguised Czech govt gives 147 million to police over EU presidency ...
Princess Caroline Faces Setback in German Paparazzi Lawsuit ... border checks, Langer said. Platter confirmed that Austrian police had strengthened patrolling in the border regions after the Schengen area enlargement last December in the interest of the fight against organised crime. He said the number of crimes against property had grown in Austria in the past months while general crime had been falling. Austrians want to become one of the most safe European countries, Platter said, justifying the Austrian police course. On Wednesday, Platter resolutely rejected Czech drivers' and Czech politicians' complaints about frequent bullying of Czechs near the Austrian border. He said Austria would not allow the Czech Republic to interfere in its internal security measures. Czech Police President Oldrich Martinu will discuss compensatory measures adopted by German police with the German police leadership on May 26. According to Martinu, the fears of growing crime in the border regions that were harboured by people last December after ten new EU member states joined the Schengen area have not come true. Langer said he was prepared to open the question of the border checks in Austria and Germany at a meeting of the EU interior ministers, which would be very unpleasant for both countries. Langer said, however, that if he had firm evidence that these countries' police take a non-standard approach to Czechs, he would not be afraid of confrontation. After the Czech Republic joined the Schengen area on December 21, 2007, when border checks were lifted, Austrian police introduced compensatory measures to prevent a possible growth in crime in the border regions. The measures include frequent checks on roads near the border. However, some drivers believe the checks exceeded the standard limits and are either similar to the former border checks or even stricter.
(Ceske Noviny)
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