Visegrad group calls migration mini-summit, seeks plan B

An extraordinary summit of the Visegrad group - comprising Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia - was scheduled to take place on the 15 February 2016, a few days ahead of the European Council on 18-19 February. This was announced by the Czech prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka on 25 January 2016.

The group was set to discuss the migration crisis and a possible 'plan B' in case of a widening divide with the older member of the Schengen area. Dissatisfaction began when the Visegrad countries decided to reject mandatory quotas for taking refugees, proposed by the European Commission.

ESO: Background information: Ukraine rejects Polish 'million refugees' claim http://www.europeansources.info/record/ukraine-rejects-polish-million-refugees-claim/

ESO: Background information: Czech president attends anti-Islam rally on Velvet Revolution anniversary http://www.europeansources.info/record/czech-president-attends-anti-islam-rally-on-velvet-revolution-anniversary/

ESO: Background information: Visegrad countries discuss sending border guards to Hungary http://www.europeansources.info/record/visegrad-countries-discuss-sending-border-guards-to-hungary/

ESO: Background information: Orbán warns of 'democracy crisis' in Europe over refugee quotas http://www.europeansources.info/record/orban-warns-of-democracy-crisis-in-europe-over-refugee-quotas/

ESO: Background information: The Slovak Challenge to the Asylum-Seekers’ Relocation Decision: A Balancing Act http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-slovak-challenge-to-the-asylum-seekers-relocation-decision-a-balancing-act/

Politico, 07.02.16: How migrants brought Central Europe together http://www.politico.eu/article/how-migrants-brought-central-europe-together-visegrad-group-orban-poland/

Visegrad Group, 19.01.16: Joint Declaration of the Interior Ministers http://www.visegradgroup.eu/joint-declaration-of-the

UN: UNHCR: Press Release, 11.02.16: UNHCR urges Central European leaders to show solidarity with refugees ahead of the V4 Summit http://www.unhcr.org/56bcab246.html

EurActiv, 12.02.16: UN: Central Europeans need to help refugees http://www.euractiv.com/sections/central-europe/un-central-europeans-need-do-more-help-refugees-321808

Prague Daily Monitor, 12.02.16: AI calls for V4 to pledge in Prague to accept more migrants http://praguemonitor.com/2016/02/12/ai-calls-v4-pledge-prague-accept-more-migrants

EurActiv, 15.02.16: Merkel warns against Visegrad’s plans for a ‘reserve border system’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/merkel-warns-against-visegrads-plans-for-a-reserve-border-system/

EUObserver, 15.02.16: Eastern EU leaders to urge Balkan border clamp down https://euobserver.com/migration/132257

EurActiv, 15.02.16: Greek minister: Hungary has sent nothing, not even a blanket http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/greek-minister-hungary-has-sent-nothing-not-even-a-blanket/

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