Visa double standards

After all that chest-pounding about the need to impose visas on Americans, Premier Jiří Paroubek backed down yesterday and said it wouldn't be in the country's best economic interest. Czechs who don't like the uneven treatment from the American side basically have two options. Work to reduce the number of Czech tourists who overstay their U.S. visas, or take their travel business elsewhere. Getting Congress to change U.S. laws isn't an option in the near term. Indignant Czechs might be a bit more understanding if they realized that their own country also applies a double standard. Czechs don't need visas to travel to Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Serbia or about 10 other countries, but citizens of these countries need visas for the CR. Czechs who still want to punish the U.S. for its double standard can take their next vacation to one of these fine destinations. [Czech Republic United States restrictions]