Czech Republic foreign policy is the most similar to the foreign policy of the United Kingdom. When the European Economic community was established in 1957, the United Kingdom decided not to join and focus on their colonies and relationships across the Atlantic. When the Czech Republic become free of Soviet control, they also had a buffer period until joining the EU. Like the United Kingdom, they focused on their own domestic economic and political institutions. Ever since the financial crisis, there has been significant Euroscepticism. This was highlighted when the UK decided not to join the Eurozone. The country enjoyed their own economic prosperity and didn’t want to be associated with the stagnant economies of Italy, Germany and France. While the Czech Republic plans to join the eurozone, it is unreasonable to compare their economic status. However, what is similar is their feelings toward Euroscepticism. The Czech Republic is often regarded as one of the most Eurosceptic member states. While a majority of Czech citizens view the EU in a positive light, it is important to recognize the minority group. The book highlights how Tony Blair, the former British Prime minister, steered British foreign policy to align more with President Bush’s “war on terror” mentality than to those policies within Europe. In addition, Britain has been a country that has been impacted by the migrant crisis. The British Social Attitude survey stated that 77 percent of respondents wanted a reduction in the total number of migrants. Similarly to the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic has been hard on closing its boarders and reducing the population of migrants. The political elite of the Czech Republic has vehemently been against the EU migrant policy. The ideas of Euroscepticism and opposition of the migrant crisis are both crucial points in the foreign policy within the UK and the Czech Republic. Even though they are two very different countries economically and politically, they have been able to implement these policies in relatively the same context.
The Czech Republic has made headlines regarding their migration policy, but not because of the number of migrants they are allowing to enter, but because of the harsh tones of islamophobia and anti-immigration. The Czech Republic has had significant criticism toward the EU migration policy. They have placed focus on resisting compulsory quotas on the relocation and resettlement of refugees, supporting stronger border protection. The Czech government, however, has tried to appease the EU and the commission. They initially accepted the quota proposed by the commission and began allowing refugees to enter the country. However, it wasn’t until after that they opposed the quotas.
The Czech Republic and EU institutions have had a relatively strained relationship when dealing with migration. The Czech Republic has been brought before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) twice in the past four years. The first stemmed from their opposition to the quota system in 2015. The ECJ ruled in opposition of the Czech Republic, highlighting the fact they were under the European Social Charter and they had to comply with the commission’s proposals in times of crisis. Once again, in December of 2017 the European commission referred the Czech Republic to the Court of Justice for not cooperating with their legal obligations on relocation of migrants from Italy and Greece. The new EU migration policy created this year, categorized as “Rome’s shared responsibility plan”, was put in place as a way for multiple member states to welcome immigrants. It was first put into practice in July, when a ship of 630 migrants came to Italy, Germany, France, and Malta. Each of these countries took at least 50 immigrants, while the Czech Republic took zero. The Prime Minister labeled it as a “road to hell”. In addition, just before this move, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic skipped an EU summit on migration in protest of the new EU policies.
The Czech Republic has had an interesting relationship when it comes to domestic foreign policy colliding with EU foreign policy. The neo-liberal ideas that are being spread by the EU are in contrast with the conservative voices that are starting to become customary in the Czech Republic. It is also interesting to see how regional politics are impacted by the Visegrad Four, or V4, which focuses on key policies across the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Although their mission states that it was not created as an alternative to the all-European integration efforts, it does seem like they have formed a smaller group, which competes with the existing structure. If nations continue to vocally oppose the EU, what options can the EU use to promote cooperation?
Sources:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5654013/True-scale-Britains-immigration-crisis-revealed.html
https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/foreign_relations/policy_planning/concept_of_the_czech_republic_s_foreign.html
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-5002_en.htm
https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/21/europe/hungary-slovakia-poland-czech-skip-migration-summit-intl/index.html
I thought your comparison between the Czech Republic and the UK was really interesting and unique because I do not think the two countries are usually compared. Bringing up how the Czech Republic does not want to join the Eurozone really ties together the comparison with the UK and the Euroscepticism present in both countries. The part on migration policy was also interesting because with my case study, Italy, they are dealing with other member states not wanting to take immigrants that enter through the country which is demonstrated in your case of the Czech Republic. I think expanding slightly more on how the domestic policies conflict with the EU foreign policies might be interesting and what this means for EU institutions and consistency between these institutions and member states own institutions.