Flexible solidarity: Slovakia gives 550 scholarships to refugees

Slovakia announced on 21 September 2016 that it was ready to offer 550 state scholarships to young migrants, allowing them to come to the country to study in its universities while not granting them asylum.

This was considered as the first example of 'flexible solidarity', a concept introduced by the Visegrad Group during the informal meeting of EU leaders held on 16 September as a response to the refugee crisis.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Robert Fico: ‘Islam has no place in Slovakia’ http://www.europeansources.info/record/robert-fico-islam-has-no-place-in-slovakia/

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/

The Slovak Spectator, 21.09.16: Refugees to get education in Slovakia http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20281230/refugees-to-get-education-in-slovakia.html

Statewatch, 18.11.16: Asylum in the EU: Presidency non-paper' calls for scrapping relocation in favour of 'tailored solidarity contribution' http://www.statewatch.org/news/2016/nov/eu-slovakia-dublin.htm

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