Hungarian PM Casts Doubt Over EU's Ability to Create 'Common Migration Policy'

WARSAW (Sputnik) — EU states can agree on some aspects of migration policy, but are unlikely elaborate a common position, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Monday.

"We can reach agreements on particular elements [of migration policy], but I doubt whether we can ever develop a common migration policy," Orban said following the Visegrad-Benelux member states summit in Warsaw.

Orban stressed that the lack of consensus on key aspects of the issue is caused by differences between the countries.

"Migration affects every European country, every nation. It will be difficult for us to arrive at a common position [on the issue]. Every country is different and has different culture and traditions," Orban said.

In the fall of 2015, EU authorities decided to redistribute some 160,000 refugees located at that time in Greece and Italy throughout the bloc. The quotas were distributed in proportion to population of respective EU states, as well as other factors. Poland accepted 7,000 people, the Czech Republic took in 1,600, Hungary accepted 1,300, and Slovakia admitted 900. Over the past two years, Poland and Hungary have not accepted a single migrant, the Czech Republic has accepted 12 people, Slovakia 16 refugees.

In June, the European Commission informed these member states that it was planning to launch infringement procedures against Prague, Warsaw and Budapest over their refusal to accept refugees, which could potentially lead to sanctions. The letters of formal notice were forwarded to the three states on June 14, with a response due within 30 days.