Undaunted Czechs still seek Canadian visas

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Despite a diplomatic dispute over the necessity for visas, at least 4,120 Czechs have applied for Canadian visas in Prague, embassy officials said.

The Czech Republic government is bristling over Canada's requirement for its citizens to get visas to visit, which is unique among European Union members. It was introduced July 14, 2009, as Canada's Conservative government claimed it was seeing an inordinate number of refugee claims from Czech visitors, mostly gypsies claiming they were persecuted in their homeland.

Embassy officials in Prague said about 1 percent of the visa applications it received since July were denied, the CTK news service said.

The Czech government has asked the European Union to pressure Canada into removing the visa restriction and warned it might reciprocate against Canadians.

President Vaclav Klaus also announced he would not attend the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver next month as a protest. However, the Czech Republic will be represented by Prime Minister Jan Fischer and other government officials, the Ceskenoviny agency said.