Migration on the agenda of the EU summit

A pro-government pundit hopes that the Visegrád countries will reject the introduction of mandatory migrant relocation at the EU summit. His left-wing counterpart accuses PM Orbán of not showing solidarity towards other EU member states.

On Thursday, the Prime Ministers of the Visegrád countries pledged 35 million Euros to help Italy cope with immigration pressures, in the shape of a contribution to policing the Libyan border. Before departing for the EU summit, PM Orbán underscored that the Visegrád countries do believe in the unity of the EU, and feel solidarity for other member states struggling with migration, but reject mandatory migrant redistribution quotas.

In Magyar Idők, Tamara Judi anticipates a fierce dispute over the quotas at the EU summit. The pro-government commentator recalls that Donald Tusk, President of the European Council sided with the Visegrád countries and criticised the idea of mandatory migrant quotas, while European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker seems to insist on them. Judi interprets all this as the battle between two visions of Europe – the Europe of sovereign nation states and the centralized United States of Europe. Judi hopes that with the support of Mr Tusk the Visegrád countries will succeed in vetoing any mandatory migrant redistribution rules.

In Népszava, György Sebes contends that Hungary is increasingly isolated and marginalized. The left-wing columnist accuses the Prime Minister of launching repeated attacks on the European community. Sebes thinks that the Hungarian government does not want to fulfil its obligations towards the EU or cooperate with other member states in resolving the migration crisis. He suspects that Hungary will soon lose all its allies and will end up left on its own with its staunch anti-immigrant vision.

Tags: EU, Juncker, migration, Orbán, Tusk