PM indicates urgency of Sroubek case
WELLINGTON: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expects answers to the residency case of Karel Sroubek before the threeweek deadline, and has openly criticised it for the first time.
But she continues to stand by Immigration Minister Iain LeesGalloway, who has given Immigration NZ up to three weeks to investigate claims that, if true, would contradict the reasons why he granted Mr Sroubek residency in the first place.
The Czech Republic’s Justice Ministry said yesterday it would begin the extradition process to have Mr Sroubek returned from New Zealand, citing outstanding criminal charges.
An Interpol listing states Mr Sroubek is wanted in the Czech Republic for disorderly con duct, damaging another’s property, and attacking a law enforcement officer.
Mr LeesGalloway has been under pressure for granting residency despite Mr Sroubek being found guilty of using a false passport and serving a prison sentence for drugsmuggling.
Ms Ardern said she had spoken with Mr LeesGalloway yesterday morning.
‘‘We’ve absolutely agreed this needs to happen much sooner than three weeks.’’
Mr LeesGalloway has not discussed the detail of the claims, but a High Court judgement revealed that Mr Sroubek had been back to Europe in 2009, undercutting any belief that Mr Sroubek’s life might be in danger if he were deported.
Mr LeesGalloway was not
aware of the court judgement, and said it was not standard practice to have all court decisions relating to Mr Sroubek handed to him.
Ms Ardern defended him, saying ministers had to rely on the
information put before them.
She said the investigation would look at why the court judgement was not passed on to the minister, but she denied she was throwing immigration officials under the bus.
‘‘There’s clear suggestion at this point that things have failed in this case.
‘‘That’s what we’ve asked the department to go back and work [through] as quickly as possible.’’
She publicly criticised the pro cess for the first time.
‘‘He had certain information in front of him. Now we have contradictory information in the public domain. Of course that’s not good enough.’’
She said the focus was on Mr Sroubek’s case at the moment, but the investigation may uncover systemic issues.
‘‘If that turns out to be the case, we would absolutely need to rectify that and get to the bottom of that.’’
Immigration New Zealand said last night it was aware Mr Sroubek had been overseas while living in New Zealand but did not know where he went.
This, according to Immigration NZ general manager Stephen Dunstan, is because Immigration NZ’s system only records the first port a person goes to when they leave the country. — NZME