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THE EU HAVE launched legal action against Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic for refusing to take in their share of refugees under a controversial solidarity plan.
The move shows the frustration in Brussels over the slow response to the scheme, which aimed to relocate 160,000 migrants from frontline migrant crisis states Italy and Greece but which has so far seen only 20,000 moved.
“I regret to say that despite our repeated calls, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland have not yet taken the necessary action,” EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told a news conference.
“For this reason the (European) Commission has decided to launch infringement procedures against these three member states,” he said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
Brussels last month set a June deadline for Warsaw and Budapest to start accepting migrants under the plan to ease the burden on Italy and Greece, or risk sanctions. Prague also came under pressure after effectively dropping out.
‘Illegal decision’
The three eastern European states all reacted defiantly to the decision after having led resistance to the plan since its outset in 2015 at the height of the migration crisis, when more than one million refugees landed on Europe’s shores.
Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said his government had been active on the crisis but tweeted: “Quotas are not working.”
Poland’s Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski hit out at the “illegal decision”, insisting that most of those being relocated were migrants who should be sent home and not refugees needing international protection.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said his government would “not give in to blackmail”.
Brussels is already at odds with Budapest over rights issues, including a crackdown on foreign-backed civil society groups approved by the Hungarian parliament on Tuesday.
Avramopoulos, who is Greece’s European commissioner, insisted those selected for the relocation scheme had all been carefully screened and identified as needing international protection.
He also criticised the three countries for expecting the benefits of EU membership while not taking on responsibilities.
“Europe is not only about requesting funds or ensuring security,” Avramopoulos said. “Europe is also about sharing difficult moments and challenges and common dramas.”
UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi expressed “disappointment” that the lion’s share of protecting refugees on such a wealthy continent should fall on so few countries, such as Italy, Greece, Germany and Sweden.
Amnesty International hailed the EU decision, with the rights group’s European head Iverna McGowan saying it “makes it clear that countries will not be allowed to get away with dragging their feet to avoid accepting refugees.”
Stiff penalties
Under “infringement” proceedings the European Commission, the 28-nation EU’s executive arm, sends a letter to national governments demanding legal explanations over certain issues, before possibly referring them to the European Court of Justice.
EU states can eventually face stiff financial penalties if they fail to comply.
Avramopoulos said Hungary and Poland were targeted because they had failed to admit one single person under the plan to redistribute among other member states 160,000 mainly Syrian, Eritrean and Iraq asylum seekers from Greece and Italy by September.
He said the Czech Republic was targeted for having relocated nobody in the past year and failed to issue any new pledges to admit asylum seekers.
Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania opposed the scheme two years ago but were overruled by a majority vote that is legally binding. Poland reluctantly agreed to the plan but took an even harder line when a new right-wing government assumed power weeks later.
Hungary and Slovakia have since taken their case to the EU’s top court.
In the latest EU figures, just over 20,000 people have been relocated under the plan, which was in response to Europe’s biggest ever migration crisis.
European sources have blamed the delays on a series of factors: governments trying to screen jihadists in the wake of terror attacks, a lack of housing and education for asylum seekers, and logistical problems.
They said some countries were setting unacceptable conditions by refusing Muslims, black people or large families, with Eastern European states the worst for discriminating on religious or racial grounds.
Ray D’arcy 2nd from the bottom ? And what was his starting salary with RTE…… 200K?? Hardly money well spent.
Well done Anton Savage on Today FM … ahead of Ray in listenership ….after taking over his seat on a slightly lower,salary I’m sure!
Ray D’arcy is full of his own self importance. I thought we were rid of him when Enda Kenny was elected Taoiseach. That was the only reason I voted for Fine Gael. Ray, like the good politician he is, was just talking rubbish and looking for attention.
He’s part of the RTE elite…Miriam Callaghan etc….if they were that good they should go to UK.
Ah now, leave Miriam out of this. Miriam works her socks off. Not bad to look at either. Fantastic chest.
After all these years I still cannot explain the popularity of Joe Duffy…..
People love a medium to moan, his voice encourages it. Perfect marketing in Ireland.
A bit like the journal
Classic hits 4fm
Boom! You said it Helen
I’m liking Sean Moncrief more and more these days. It’s most still against my will. Perhaps it’s Stockholm syndrome having being captive in the car listening to him so much. Anyway in general I much rather radio. It allows me to do other things whilst being entertained or informed.
there a shower of overpaid morons in RTE how they can justify their wages is crazy that’s why the licence is so high ,you know if they shut down the station most of us would be €160 a year better off and we still would not be at a loss for entertainment
when u have a never ending budget u can hire whoever u like to make ratings .
What the JNLR don’t tell us is how much time we are spending listening to radio….
National Radio is a straight choice between either Communicorp or RTE….either way the listener doesn’t benefit, from Current Affairs programs that is…
We need new media as much as we need a new political infrastructure!!!
JNLR DOES actually tell us how much time we spend listening to radio – around 4 hours a day.
I ONLY listen to Radio Nova – although NOT a National Radio Station – at least I get decent music without the CRAP the Biggie Boyos dish out to an unsuspecting National populace. AND I don’t have to listen to inane DJs pretending to understand politics or some pseudo-nationalistic beliefs …
an insult to the real NOVA 87 FM AND 819 AM!
88
Radio Nova seem to have a playlist of 100 songs on a loop.
“..Radio Nova…playing all over Dublin…. Nowwwwww ….”
Great station, great memories
Chris Carey RIP
BBC RADIO 2 via tunein radio app
They say in the heading that size matters in radio land what do they mean big smile or big tits
i don’t get ray darcy on rte 1 i get the impression that he thinks he just has to turnup
What big eyes you have Miriam. …..lol
Any chance of getting that moron Marty Whelan off Lyric FM? It’s supposed to be a “classical music” station not “Housewives’ Choice”!
Nova with pat Courtney. He’s brilliant!!!
Way to ignore all the regional and local radio stations – in many areas, they easily have 40-66% of the Audience share in the places they broadcast to. But yet none of them merit any praise?
talksport via tunein radio for me.
Where’s Stevo from Sunshine Radio gone ?
Why don’t they contact me when they do theses so called survey s and I will b able to tel them why I don’t listen to RTE radio I prefer independent radio from round d country coz it gives me local stories in Dublin especially radio Kerry from 9am each morning
Absolute Radio
Marty Whelan is pure genius. So happy he’s on Lyric in the morning. There is no competitor to him to my mind. Lyric overall is a great station, John Kelly Ensemble, Jazz, Movies and Musicals, Niall Carroll etc., etc. a great mix. I predict Lyric’s star will continue to rise into the future. Its a bit undiscovered maybe. Marty is introducing people more and more to it.
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