Visegrad countries call for ‘alternative plan’ to counter migration crisis

Prime ministers from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia met in Prague on 15 February 2016 in the framework of the Visegrad Four (V4) group for a special summit to discuss the migration crisis.

Leaders from these Central European countries called for an alternative back-up plan to stop refugees at Greece's borders with Bulgaria and FYR Macedonia, in case present measures proved ineffective. The group provided a deadline in March 2016 (just before a European Council meeting) to draw conclusions on the rate of success of the measures implemented by the European Commission.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Visegrad group calls migration mini-summit, seeks plan B http://www.europeansources.info/record/visegrad-group-calls-migration-mini-summit-seeks-plan-b/

ESO: Key Source: The Visegrad Group http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-visegrad-group-2/

Visegrad Group: Press Release, 15.02.16: Extraordinary Summit of V4 Prime Ministers on the Migration Crisis http://www.visegradgroup.eu/extraordinary-summit-of

EUObserver, 16.02.16: Eastern EU states want migration 'plan B' https://euobserver.com/migration/132277

Deutsche Welle, 16.02.16: Are the Visegrad states sealing off the EU? http://dw.com/p/1Hvvr

Deutsche Welle, 15.02.16: Visegrad Group opposes Germany's refugee policy http://dw.com/p/1HvSy

Sputnik International, 15.02.16: Europe Split, Merkel Sidelined Over Refugee Crisis and Closed Borders http://sptnkne.ws/aCSp

Radio Poland, 15.02.16: The Visegrad group turns 25 http://www.thenews.pl/1/6/Artykul/240791,The-Visegrad-group-turns-25

Euronews, 15.02.16: Migration crisis: Plan for reinforced border north of Greece http://www.euronews.com/2016/02/15/migration-crisis-plan-for-reinforced-border-north-of-greece/

Deutsche Welle, 16.02.16: [Interview] 'Fences cannot stop the refugee flows' http://dw.com/p/1Hw24

Sputnik International, 16.02.16: EU Should Have Plan B if Refugee Agreement With Turkey Fails - Slovak PM http://sptnkne.ws/aDgp

Kathimerini, 15.02.16: Shutting down FYROM border will slow refugee flow, Kurz says http://www.ekathimerini.com/205993/article/ekathimerini/news/shutting-down-fyrom-border-will-slow-refugee-flow-kurz-says

Hungary: Prime Minister's Office: Press Release, 16.02.16: A second line of defence needs to be established http://www.kormany.hu/en/the-prime-minister/news/a-second-line-of-defence-needs-to-be-established

Politico, 16.02.16: Central bloc demands rights for EU migrants settled in UK http://www.politico.eu/article/central-bloc-demands-rights-for-eu-migrants-settled-in-uk-poland-hungary-the-czech-republic-slovakia-brexit-eu-referendum-migration-benefits/

Politico, 15.02.16: Central Europe wants to halt migration if EU plan fails http://www.politico.eu/article/migrants-asylum-orban-visegrad-poland-hungary-chezch-slovakia-migration-refugees/

Euro|Topics: Debates, February 2016: Visegrád states plan to shut down borders / Eastern Europe's call for more borders http://www.eurotopics.net/en/153941/visegrad-states-plan-to-shut-down-borders

EurActiv, 18.02.16: Poland says it cannot coexist ‘with Middle East people’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/poland-says-it-cannot-co-exist-with-middle-east-people/

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