EU: ECJ ruling shows no country can shirk refugee responsibilities

Reacting to the news that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has rejected Slovakia and Hungary’s application to be exempted from the EU’s scheme for relocating refugees from Italy and Greece to other member states, Iverna McGowan, Director of the Amnesty International, European Institutions Office, said: “Today’s ruling shows that no country can hide from their responsibilities to refugees. Slovakia and Hungary have tried to dodge the EU’s system for solidarity, but each country has a role to play in protecting people fleeing violence and persecution.

“The Hungarian and Slovakian governments’ appeal to ECJ was a baseless attempt to make ‘refugee free zones’ of their countries. Member states must show solidarity with each other, and with asylum seekers who are seeking protection in Europe.”

BACKGROUND

Hungary had been allocated 1294 refugees under the EU relocation quota but has yet to relocate one. Slovakia was allocated 902 and has so far relocated 16. For more information see the Member States’ Support to Emergency Relocation Mechanism.