PRAGUE: More needs to be done at the European level in the fight against illegal migration, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk agreed.
"The European Union (EU) needs to be more active and assertive towards third countries, " Fiala said in a statement on Wednesday following the Czech-Polish intergovernmental consultations in Prague.
According to him, the Czech Republic and Poland also have "a similarly negative view" of introducing long-term controls at the EU's internal borders, reports Xinhua news agency
"It is not a solution; it is not a long-term tool to solve illegal migration. It is something that goes against the idea of the EU and European integration, " he said, adding that illegal migration must be tackled differently.
In response to illegal immigration and security issues, Germany last month reinstated checks at all land borders, sparking reactions from neighbouring countries and concerns about its impact on the Schengen Area's principle of free movement.
During the Czech-Polish intergovernmental consultations, the two countries also discussed cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, construction of transport infrastructure, support for Ukraine and flood protection.
The Czech Republic and Poland plan to assess the response to recent floods and set up an even more direct form of communication for handling future natural disasters. They have also agreed to finalise negotiations on a cross-border cooperation agreement for emergency medical services, according to the statement.