The issue of migration in the European Union came to the fore again during the European Council summit in Brussels. In his address posted on Facebook, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called for decisive and tough measures to tackle the migration crisis that continues to plague the EU. His position highlights the growing split in approaches to managing migration flows among EU member states, with some supporting tougher action while others call for a cautious approach.
Slovakia is against mandatory migration quotas
Fico stressed that Slovakia has always opposed mandatory quotas for the distribution of migrants proposed by the European Union, and his country continues to adhere to this principle.
“Migration requires decisive and tough decisions. We were right to vote against mandatory quotas. Today, we see that the only way to solve the problem is to secure the external borders of the Schengen area and to focus efforts on the countries of origin of migrants,” Fico said.
EU leaders meeting: search for new approaches
This statement was made after an informal meeting of the leaders of several EU countries, including the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Austria, the Netherlands and others, with the participation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, announcing the meeting, called for more decisive EU action on migration policy. Fiala stressed that a number of countries are ready to persuade the European Commission and other members of the Union to tighten migration policy.
“We must develop a clear strategy to protect Europe from uncontrolled migrant flows. This is not only a matter of humanitarian responsibility, but also of security,” Fiala said.
Italy’s position and new agreements
One of the key topics of the meeting was Italy’s initiative, which was presented by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Her government has recently signed an agreement with Albania to establish centres for migrants in the country. Maloney stressed the importance of fighting illegal migration and human smuggling by strengthening controls at the EU’s external borders. The participants of the meeting also discussed the possibility of creating “return hubs” and the concept of a “third safe country” where migrants could wait for their cases to be resolved.
“Italy is showing leadership in the fight against illegal migration. The agreement with Albania is a step forward in building a system that will reduce the burden on our borders and help us fight human smuggling more effectively,” Meloni said.
Joint coordination: the path to effective policy
During the discussions, EU leaders agreed that greater coordination between member states is needed to strengthen migration policy. The main goal is to make it more effective and efficient in the face of the ever-increasing number of migrants seeking to enter Europe through the Union’s southern and eastern borders.
Although the positions of some countries on how to address the migration crisis remain different, key actors such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Italy are in favour of decisive action. The discussants emphasise the importance of securing Europe’s borders and the need to support policies that take into account the interests of both migrants and the security of European citizens.
