Czech Republic rejects UN migration deal

PRAGUE, Nov 14 (AFP): The Czech Republic said on Wednesday it will reject the United Nations migration pact set to be adopted in December, following similar moves by Hungary and Austria.

Richard Brabec, a deputy prime minister, told reporters the government wanted the pact to include measures preventing illegal migration, which it distinguishes from legal migration.

"The final text does not reflect the fundamental proposals for changes the Czech Republic has laid out, so the government has decided not to join the pact," said Brabec, a member of the ruling ANO movement of billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis.

Babis himself said earlier he did not like the pact which is "not clearly interpreted and could be abused."

The Global Compact for Migration, whose final text was agreed in July after 18 months of negotiations, is set to be adopted during a conference in Morocco on December 10-11.