Czech border controls tightened ahead of IMF, World Bank summit

(from  http://www.ctknews.com/ )

PRAGUE, Sept 13 (CTK) - Ahead of the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank, which are to begin soon this month in Prague, Czech border controls are likely to be tightened, Ivana Zelenakova from the police told CTK today.

"The aim of these steps is to restrict access to persons about whom there is suspicion that their stay on the territory of the Czech Republic could be abused to threaten the country's security and public order or potentially cause damage to other protected interests," Zelenakova said without elaborating.

She added that in addition to likely longer waiting times at road border crossings, international rail connections would probably also be delayed.

Domestic police forces in US and UK have already provided the czech authorities with lists of names of people who are known activists.


Demonstrators Against IMF Not Allowed To Enter Czech Republic

PRAGUE, Sep 14, 2000 -- (CTK - Czech News Agency) Three Dutch men and an American, heading for the Czech Republic to demonstrate against International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank policies, were not allowed to enter the country today.

The activists who were travelling from the Netherlands via Germany carring a mobile kitchen for demonstrators were stopped by the Czech foreigner police at the Hrensko border crossing in north Bohemia, Initiative Against Economic Globalization spokesman Viktor Piorecky told CTK today.

Another man was denied access to the country at three Czech- Austrian border crossings on Tuesday evening. Czech Greenpeace spokesman Vaclav Vasku told CTK that the activists, who took part in a demonstration against the activation of the nuclear power station Temelin in July, planned to demonstrate against Temelin in front of the Government Office in Prague today.

"First he was not allowed in due to the technical state of his car, later, when he changed the car, more conditions were set. Finally, he was told that they could not let him in on orders from Prague," Vasku told CTK, adding that the man received a stamp in his passport forbidding entry to the Czech Republic.

"It is allegedly written on the stamp that he should not try to enter the Czech Republic again until September 30," Piorecky said. "We will consult our lawyers on the matter," he added. ((c) 2000 CTK - Czech News Agency)



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Czechs Plan Tough Border Checks During IMF Meeting

PRAGUE, Sep 14, 2000 -- (Reuters) Czech police said on Wednesday they would impose strict border controls during this month's IMF and World Bank meetings to stop anyone likely to disrupt them.

Some 20,000 protesters from the Czech Republic and abroad are expected to stage demonstrations against globalization and the policies of the two institutions during meetings scheduled in Prague for September 26-28.

Czech police hope to avoid similar scenes to those in Washington last April, when U.S. police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse demonstrators and made 1,300 arrests during the meeting of the Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Violent clashes between police and activists also shut down World Trade Organization talks in Seattle in December.

Czech police said they would thoroughly check documents and cars at border points.

"The aim of these measures is to avoid entry of persons who are suspected of using their stay in the Czech Republic to threaten the security of the state, public order, or damage other protected interests," police said in a statement.

They added that the controls were likely to lead to queues at border crossings and train delays.

Various non-governmental organizations have announced over 200 public gatherings and demonstrations against the meetings. Some of the protest organizers took part in the Seattle and Washington demonstrations.

But police have said they will create a closed security zone around Prague's Congress Center, where the meetings will be held. Some 11,000 officers will be on duty to keep protests under control.

Schools in the Congress Center area will close for the meetings, which should be attended by nearly 20,000 delegates and journalists.

Local media reported that some banks had advised their Prague employees to dress informally during the meetings in order to avoid being hassled by protesters.

A huge stadium near the center of Prague is being turned into a tent city for up to 15,000 people in the expectation that large numbers of protesters will arrive. FAM, the company running the campsite, said it already had 5,000 bookings.

Chelsea Mozen of INPEG, an umbrella group organizing many of the protests, said her organization would not repeat the tactics used in Washington, where activists made it impossible for many delegates to get in.

But she did not rule out some type of blockade. "A blockade is a non-violent form of direct action," she said.