The drivers are unjustifiably sanctioned for transporting migrants. After the already well-known case of driver Jiří Sagan, another one appeared.
In June 2016, truck driver Tomáš Němec was inspected by both French and British police in the city of Calais. While French control found no persons in the cargo area, on the British side policemen discovered 14 refugees who entered his truck without the driver knowing about it. A couple of months ago (two years after the incident) Němec was fined £8,400 which is equal to the annual earnings of his entire family.
“Thanks to our intervention, the fine was reduced by a total of 93 percent to £602. However, this case is not unique, unfortunately it is the only one with a more positive end. More and more drivers and transport companies are asking for help, sometimes even from Slovakia and Poland,“ Zdechovský wrote. He added that the approach of the British police and the British border authorities harms all drivers who are conscientiously fulfilling their duties.
According to Zdechovský, it is necessary to deal with the situation systematically, not only in the European Parliament, but also in the Czech government. One possible solution could be to pressure the French authorities to ensure safety and more effective control of trucks in the area.
