European Reaction

The 2015 migration crisis influenced the perception of the Czech Republic’s role in European politics—its image was damaged in the EU and Germany and partially also in Austria, but its relations with the rest of the Visegrád Group stayed untouched. For the EU and Germany, Czechia appeared as a Europeanist “Unfaithful Ally” because it was not in solidarity with those EU countries which carried the burden of the migration waves on their shoulders and because its “insufficient responsibility” helped to disrupt the efforts toward a unified European solution to the crisis. Germany also perceived Czechia as a Europeanist Regional Collaborator when anti-migration measures other than quotas were being addressed or when German representatives described the general form of the relations with Czechia. A similar approach to the solution of the crisis and a shared rejection of the redistribution quotas were a part of the close cooperation and good relations between Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary. The view of the V4 states was that the Czech position corresponded to those of a Sovereignist Regional Collaborator, and a Europeanist Reformer. Although Austria did not vote against the redistribution quotas, they shared several opinions on the migration crisis with Czechia. Thus, they perceived the Czech role less critically than the EU or Germany. Nevertheless, due to the differing opinions of Austrian representatives, Austria’s view of the Czech positions varied between the two perspectives, as mentioned above. Based on the statements of Austrian leaders, the position of a Sovereignist Regional Collaborator prevailed in this case.