In brief

• Slovakia was again left off the list of member states eligible for exemption from contributions to the EU migration solidarity fund for 2027.
• Six states, including Czechia and Poland, may request full or partial relief, while Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Italy will receive support.
• The interior minister says Slovakia will not pay for migrants it has not accepted, and the opposition criticises the government's diplomatic setback.

EU exemption rejected again

Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Italy will again qualify for support from the EU solidarity fund in 2027 because of sustained migratory pressure, according to the European Commission's second annual migration report published on Friday (Slovensko musí prispievať do migračného fondu EÚ. Česko, Rakúsko či Poľsko možno nebudú musieť – Pravda.sk) (Slovensko opäť nedostalo výnimku z povinných príspevkov do migračného fondu Európskej únie – Aktuality.sk) (SR nedostala výnimku z povinných príspevkov do migračného fondu EÚ – TASR / TERAZ.sk). Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Croatia, Austria and Poland may request full or partial exemption from contributions. Slovakia was not on that list and opposes the initiative. Final terms, including contribution levels and exemptions, still need approval from member states in the Council of the EU, where a qualified majority requires at least 15 countries representing 65 percent of the population.

Slovakia's position

Slovakia had already sought an exemption when the mechanism first applied in 2026, arguing that it has taken in tens of thousands of refugees from Ukraine. Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok said Slovakia neither pays nor will pay for migrants redistributed from other countries, and argued that the EU should support border security rather than demand payments for not accepting migrants (Slovensko neplatí a nebude platiť za odmietnutých imigrantov, vyhlásil minister vnútra v rozpore so slovami premiéra – Aktuality.sk) (M. Šutaj Eštok: SR neplatí a nebude platiť za odmietnutých imigrantov – TASR / TERAZ.sk). A ministry spokesperson said Slovakia, as a direct neighbour of war-torn Ukraine, bears costs and responsibility for protecting displaced people, with tens of thousands living on its territory. If the Commission does not consider this sufficient grounds for relief, it should review how it assesses solidarity.

Opposition criticism

The opposition Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) said the outcome showed the weak standing of Prime Minister Robert Fico's government in the EU. It said the government had enough time to push for Slovakia's interests and secure the same terms other member states obtained (KDH: Vláda nedokázala vyrokovať výnimku z migračného paktu – TASR / TERAZ.sk). MEP Miriam Lexmann, a member of the European Parliament's Presidium, said the government's failure exposes Slovak citizens to financial consequences. She noted that every country that requested an exemption, apart from Slovakia, received one.

Earlier pledge

In June, Prime Minister Fico said Slovakia would rather pay roughly four million euros for 2026 than accept redistributed migrants.