The European Commission spent much of the summer of 2015 formulating a solution to the EU migrant crisis and the huge number of asylum seekers in Greece and Italy. Its plans to relocate 160,000 to EU member states according to a quota system were opposed by many countries.
My speech at the opening ceremony of #Slovakia presidency: https://t.co/1SGP5qKsqH…#EU2016SK pic.twitter.com/ZS0F9VFjDv
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) July 1, 2016
Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania opposed mandatory quotas, but were outvoted at a meeting of EU interior ministers in September, 2015.
Fico told reporters:
"We demand that the court rules the decision on imposing mandatory quotas is invalid. I consider the quotas to be nonsensical and technically impossible. Our words are being proven true, the quotas have become a fiasco."
Slow Relocation
Of the 160,000 migrants involved in the scheme, only 2,783 have actually been relocated from Greece and Italy (as at July 1, 2016). Slovakia, which is due take in 802 migrants under the scheme, argues it has no power to keep migrants in if they wish to move on to Germany and other richer EU member states. Slovakia has only received 154 asylum requests this year.
Slovakia filed a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice in December 2015, demanding a ruling on whether the Commission had a right to impose mandatory quotas on EU member states. The case will put it on a collision course with European Council President Donald Tusk, who lauded its presidency.
With #Slovakia PM Fico for further bilateral talks ahead of our #EUCO meeting and informal EU 27 leaders meetings pic.twitter.com/ArxuCojdEb
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) 28 June 2016
Slovakia, which is due take in 802 migrants under the scheme, argues it has no power to keep migrants in if they wish to move on to Germany and other richer EU member states. Slovakia has only received 154 asylum requests this year.
