Slovakia may hold referendum to block EU-enforced migrant quotas

The Visegrád Four (V4) countries (Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland) could block mandatory migrant quotas at a meeting of the European Council, but if that's achieved and the European Commission (EC) enforces the quotas regardless, the Slovak Government will consider a referendum on the subject, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced in Parliament on Tuesday. Fico said that he's spoken with other V4 representatives to agree on a procedure. "The aim is to achieve a joint V4 declaration, based on which we'd reject mandatory quotas. The V4's text could block the text that deals with the mandatory quotas", said Fico. According to Fico, if that's achieved, it still wouldn't be possible to prevent the EC from proceeding with draft legislation that would introduce the quotas, however. If the EC pushes through the quotas despite objections, Fico will consider the possibility of a referendum. "It may be a way of avoiding the consequences of an EC decision with which the Slovak Government simply can't agree", he said. Fico insists that quotas aren't the solution to migratory pressures. "On the contrary, they'll cause the whole problem to return to us like a boomerang with even more intensity", he said. Fico pointed out that Slovakia is helping to improve conditions in several developing countries and crisis areas. "We provide humanitarian assistance to refugees from Syria. We are the only country in the Schengen area that implements the humanitarian transfer of persons who are in immediate danger to their lives and need urgently to leave their country of residence, the majority being mothers with children", he stated.