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Slovakia files suit against EU Council over mandatory quotas

Xinhua, December 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Slovakia filed a lawsuit against the Council of the European Union (EU) at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg on Wednesday, demanding that the council's ruling regarding refugee quotas be pronounced invalid, announced Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

According to Fico, Slovakia wants the court to state that the decision regarding temporary measures vis-a-vis the international protection of refugees in favor of Italy and Greece is invalid. It also requires the council pay for the costs of the legal proceedings.

One of the stated reasons for the move is that the Council of the European Union decision isn't in accordance with the decisions of the European Council, made up of the presidents and prime ministers of EU member states, who previously approved non-mandatory quotas.

"We think that there has been a violation of the rights of national parliaments and the European Parliament," stressed Fico.

Apart from that, Slovakia is challenging a majority vote by interior ministers. Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania were against the motion, while Finland abstained.

According to the measure, Slovakia should accept 802 refugees within a year, and a further 656 on an as-needed basis. According to Fico, the measure should have been approved by consensus, as was the case concerning a proposal of the European Commission that went through changes.

The court will announce the lawsuit to the EU Council, which should respond within a few weeks.

"Today's reality surrounding the quotas shows us to have been right. We're counting on the fact that our arguments are so strong that they can bring results at the court in Luxembourg," added Fico.

The EU Council decided on Sept. 22 to relocate 120,000 people in obvious need of international protection among EU member states. Endit