Euro 2012 - Czechs warned to leave weed at home

A conference held in Prague warns Czech citizens travelling to Euro 2012 of restrictions in Polish law. The Interior Ministry plans to reinstate boarder controls.

The event, held in the Polish Institute in Prague, gathered representatives of the Czech Police, the Czech Football Association, and local administration of Wrocław in south-west Poland, to remind Czech football supporters planning to visit Poland that the Polish law is more restrictive, forbidding possession of any amounts of drugs, as well as drinking in public.

The Czech national team will be stationed in Wrocław, where it is scheduled to face Poles (June 16), Russians (June 9), and Greeks in the group stage of the European championship. Supporters were allocated 9 000 tickets for each of the first two games, and 11 000 for the match with Greece.

However, the Czech Footbal Association expects additional several thousand will visit Wrocalw during the tournament to feel the football spirit and hang out in the open Supporters Zone, which will be set up in the center of the city. Supporters are encouraged to travel by train, as additional rail services will open for the duration of the Championship.

Meanwhile the Head of the Interior Ministry, Jacek Cichocki, announced temporal reinstatement of boarder control along the borders between countries belonging to the Schengen pact. The EU law allows such measures during special events, such as mass public gatherings, which might endanger public safety.

Controls will be carried on chosen persons and vehicles, as well as particular flights and ships arriving from Schengen countries. The Ministry says this should not affect the cross-border transport, as additional mobile control points will be set up for the duration of control reinstatement – from June 4 till July 1. (ab/pg)