Socialists & Democrats in the EP warn Slovakia on the migrant quota refusal

Gianni Pittella, chairman of the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) faction in the European Parliament regards Slovakia's intention to file a complaint against compulsory migrant quotas as a bad thing but described Slovak Premier Robert Fico's appearance before MEPs in Strasbourg on Monday as a good start of a dialogue that must continue. "I appreciated the fact that he still hasn't announced it as a matter of fact that the lawsuit against the mandatory immigration quotas with the European Court of Justice has become reality", said Pittella. Nevertheless, if this happened, it would be a "bad thing", as it would be at odds both with the opinion of European Socialists and the decision of EU's interior ministers made by a qualified majority, said the S&D faction chief. Pittella further conceded that it really doesn't depend on the Party of European Socialists to suspend Fico's Smer-SD's membership, but on Smer itself. At the same time he announced that he's convened a meeting of the S&D political committee with leaders of national delegations of Socialists in the EP later this week to make a recommendation on the matter.