Sutaj Estok: Slovakia Doesn't Agree with Approval of So-called EU Migration Pact

Bratislava, February 9 (TASR) - Slovakia doesn't agree with the approval of the so-called migration pact of the European Union (EU) because none of the proposed options is acceptable, stated Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) in response to an agreement on Thursday (February 8) supporting the tightening of asylum and migration rules in Brussels. The minister expects that the reform will also be approved by other European Union bodies. According to him, there's a need to prepare for the consequences that this will have for Slovakia. "We, Hungarians and Poles, voted against legislative acts that speak of so-called solidarity. Unfortunately, we were overruled by several member states. Three variants were approved, and Slovakia doesn't agree with any of them," said the minister. Sutaj Estok rejects a proposal that would make it mandatory to accept 285 migrants per year and one concerning financial compensation worth €5.7 million. Failure to comply with the rules should lead to sanctions or compensation. The minister criticised the narrow range of compensation options. He would welcome, for example, a form of humanitarian aid or aid at the point of origin of migration. The minister doesn't agree either with the alternative of helping other member states that don't have time to handle asylum processes. "Asylum procedures will be moved to Slovakia, which will mean de facto that the migrants concerned will never leave Slovakia again," he stressed. am/df