Bulgaria, Czech Republic PMs call for EU reforms on migrants

The prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Bulgaria on Monday called for swift reform of the EU’s asylum system. Czech premier Andrej Babis and Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov agreed that a reasonable compromise on migrant issues has to be found in the EU, AP said. At a news conference in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, Babis said that “the mandatory redistribution of migrants is unacceptable and divisive.” The issue of migrant quotas should be resolved in a way acceptable for all EU member states, he added. Borissov said that asylum seekers should enter the EU only through official border checkpoints. He also proposed safe areas for asylum seekers to be set up outside the EU. Bulgaria took up the rotating presidency of the European Council at the beginning of the year.