Residence okay, says Peters
NZ First leader backs minister’s immigration call
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, known for pushing for tighter immigration controls, says it was a “responsible” decision to grant residence to drugsmuggler Karel Sroubek.
And he is backing Immigration Minister Iain LeesGalloway, who granted residence despite Sroubek being found guilty of using a false passport and being in jail for smuggling MDMA (Ecstasy).
The National Party has been calling for Lees-Galloway to explain or resign, and has challenged the credibility of the minister’s information, and whether Sroubek’s life would really be in danger if he were deported.
Peters said he had been briefed on the decision and backed Lees-Galloway.
“I think the minister was forced inevitably to make this decision. It wouldn’t have been easy, but he’s made it and we stand behind him.
“The minister has made a responsible decision and has put serious caveats on that decision going into the future.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also backed LeesGalloway, who said that public safety was a chief concern when he was making his decision.
“I can understand why people want an explanation, but for legal reasons and to maintain the integrity of that process, I cannot and will not divulge the information I used to make that decision,” LeesGalloway said.
Ardern said that previous media coverage of Sroubek’s entry to New Zealand provided hints behind the minister’s decision, but would not elaborate.
Sroubek came to New Zealand from the Czech Republic in 2003 after fleeing corrupt police, but was unmasked in 2009 when New Zealand police were alerted to his identity and an international arrest warrant.
He was found guilty of using a false passport in 2011, but was discharged without conviction after Judge Roy Wade said Sroubek would be in danger from corrupt Czech authorities if he were deported.
But Gregory Shanahan, the Czech Republic’s Honorary Consul in New Zealand, seemed to downplay the possibility of corrupt Czech officials.
“It has a well-established and rigorous legal system and police force, and other forces which comply with what everyone understands to be international codes of practice in these areas,” Shanahan told the Herald.
In 2016, Sroubek was jailed for five years and nine months after being convicted of importing 5kg of MDMA with a street value of $375,000.