Czech Prime Minister Rejects EU’s Binding Migrant Quotas

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said the Czech Republic was prepared to help on a voluntary basis and would accept a total of 1,500 asylum seekers over the next two years.

PRAGUE (Sputnik) — The Czech Republic will firmly reject any obligatory quotas for migrant distribution imposed by the European Union, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said Sunday on public television.

Earlier this week, the European parliament backed the European Commission's proposal to share out a total of 160,000 refugees throughout EU nations over two years. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Poland and Slovakia opposed the move.

Speaking on the national TV on Sunday, Sobotka reiterated his position, saying "I think it is impossible to retreat, our position is firm and our arguments are strong."

He added the Eastern European country was prepared to help on a voluntary basis and would accept a total of 1,500 asylum seekers over the next two years, according to Radio Praha.

Europe is experiencing a large-scale migration crisis as tens of thousands of refugees attempt to cross into the 28-nation union. According to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, some 500,000 migrants have arrived in the European Union since the beginning of 2015.