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Helsinki Citizens Assembly

01 May 1993

At its conference in Prague on 20-23 May the Helsinki Citizens Assembly passed a resolution calling for the harmonisation of rights for all non-nationals living within the EC and the European Economic Area irrespective of their race, national origin or current citizenship. The resolution also expressed its opposition to the effect of the closing of the borders of the EC which was forcing East European countries to "build up borders and close them, only shortly after the fall of the 'Iron Curtain'". The resolution had been proposed by the Salzburg chapter of "SOS-Mitmensch" in Austria.

Participants in the Assembly went to meet with Milos Mrkvica, Head of the Migration Department at the Czech Ministry of the Interior. Mr Mrkvica said that many Vietnamese had been brought over as contract workers and that as the contracts expired they were being returned home at the government's expense. This led many to go underground and seek employment in other countries

Permanent residence had mainly been given to those Vietnamese who had married Czech nationals. He also said that the Czech Republic was heading towards a "Polish solution" to its relations with Germany. In order to meet Germany's demands to take back refugees and illegal immigrants Czechia had to set up "cascade agreements" with its neighbours to the east and south to return people to their country of origin or a country deemed "safe" which they had passed through. The "cascading policy" is based on a series of agreements signed with Austria in November 1992, with Poland in May 1993, and one to come into effect with Slovakia in November 1993.

Research Group Boltzmann-Institute/Steinocher-Foundation, Salzburg, Austria.