MIGRANT CRISIS: European Commission descends into infighting over failed refugee quotas
THE European Commission has descended into infighting over plans to punish a trio of countries for their failure to accept refugees.
Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary all face disciplinary measures
Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary all face disciplinary measures after the commission launched infringement proceedings on the three nations.
The supposedly unanimous decision was criticised online by the European commissioner for justice, consumers and gender equality, Věra Jourová.
She tweeted: “I am known in the long term with quotas, I disagree. Today’s initiation of the procedure do not find a good solution.”
In response, the Commission’s deputy spokesman Alexander Winterstein was forced into damage control to try and presented a united front.
He insisted the Commission’s decision was made by a “consensus” and with “unanimity”.
The three countries face possible sanctions over their failure to accept refugees as part of the EU asylum scheme.
EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos previously said the trio had neglected their legal obligations to take in asylum seekers from Italy and Greece.
EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said they neglected their duties
He said: “These are the three member states that have not, I repeat, have not done anything for more than one year or even for the whole duration of the scheme.”
The scheme was designed to relocate 16,000 people from two countries, but the two-year scheme - which comes to an end in September - has failed to reach its target.
The Czech Republic has taken in 12 out of its 2,691 target.
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The Czech Republic does not agree with the system
Defending the move, prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka said his county "will not participate in the quotas since they are not functioning.”
He added: "The Czech Republic does not agree with the system.”
And after not accepting any refugee since last August, it officially announced it was withdrawing from the scheme earlier this month.
The scheme was designed to relocate 16,000 people
Poland promised to take in people in 2015, but so far is yet to accept anyone.
Prague has not pledged any space since 2015, and has also not relocated any migrants since the scheme launched.
The supposedly unanimous decision was criticised online by Věra Jourová
All three have cited concerns over national identity, security and sovereignty as their reason for not accepting any refugees.
And Poland's interior minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, said the scheme "only encourages further waves of migration".