Brussels – Following a meeting of EU member state ministers in Brussels on Monday, Slovak Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas-SD) reiterated Slovakia’s opposition to the mandatory solidarity mechanism for asylum seeker redistribution. He stated that Slovakia should be exempt due to the significant number of Ukrainian refugees it has accepted since the war began, according to TASR.
Under the agreement, by 2026, EU countries must either accept a specified number of migrants, make a financial contribution for those not accepted, or provide alternative support to countries facing significant migration pressure, including Cyprus, Greece, Spain, and Italy.
Countries like Czechia and Poland may be granted exemptions for the upcoming year, but Slovakia is not among these nations.
“I emphasized to my colleagues that I do not understand why Slovakia was not included among the countries eligible for exemption, given that we have welcomed tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. This is why we could not support this aspect of the illegal migration pact,” stated Matúš Šutaj Eštok.
He further indicated that Slovakia, along with Hungary, will not endorse any of the solidarity options unless negotiations for an exemption for Slovakia are initiated. He also noted that the government does not support the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in its entirety, as reflected in the government’s program statement.
The ministers also endorsed a position on legislative proposals aimed at expediting and enhancing asylum procedures while facilitating the return of applicants who do not qualify for protection in the EU. These proposals relate to regulations concerning safe third countries and safe countries of origin. Šutaj Eštok welcomed this development.
“Alongside robust protection of external borders, this is a crucial step in combating illegal migration,” he remarked, while expressing disappointment over the slow advancement of the overall process. (8 December)
“I do not understand why Slovakia was not included among the countries with an exemption, since we have taken in tens of thousands of refugees from Ukraine. That is also why we did not support this part concerning the pact on illegal migration.” Matúš Šutaj Eštok
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