"By no means, will we accept any migrants within any quotas. Not a single one. We are against, on principle, of being dictated to on who has the right to live and work in our country. Compulsory quotas are ineffective and only divide Europe," Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said, while delivering a speech in the parliament.
At the same time, the prime minister recalled a joint statement made by members of the Visegrad Group (V4), comprising the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. According to the statement, EU members should render financial aid to the countries from where migrants come as well as for the reinforcement of external borders.
The minister added that the V4 countries had recently provided financial aid to the joint EU fund aimed at supporting Africa as well as to some African countries directly.
"I think it's absurd that the European Commission filed a complaint against us for an absolute senseless case," Babiš said.
Since 2015, over two million migrants — mainly from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and a number of impoverished African nations — have entered Europe.
Most migrants initially arrived by sea to either Greece or Italy, before crossing through other European countries, like Hungary, to reach wealthier EU states, such as Germany and Sweden.