Slovakia working on alternative proposal to asylum reform

Slovakia is working on an alternative proposal for the reform of the EU's asylum system that replaces the mandatory quotas for the distribution of migrants, said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday. The current proposal on the table, sponsored by the European Commission, is designed to reform the European asylum policy. According to Fico, however, it has failed to garner support among member states, as it contains the permanent system of mandatory quotas. The Prime Minister believes that it's Slovakia's duty as the presiding country of the Council of the EU to seek solutions and submit an alternative proposal. Fico stressed that every member state is willing to show solidarity, but should be free to do so in its own way. If Slovakia managed to shepherd through a compromise on the asylum policy reform, he would consider it a success for the Slovak presidency.