European Union's interior ministers on Tuesday approved a controversial plan to resettle more than 100,000 refugees throughout the continent as they struggle to solve the region's growing crisis.
The deal, however, was passed in a far more controversial manner than normal; The European Union normally accepts new policies through unanimous consent, but in this case, a majority vote was called for. Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary — the last of which has been strongly chided for its treatment of incoming refugees — all voted against the proposal.
As part of the new quota system, 120,000 refugees will be spread throughout the 28 members of the Union, with countries mandated to accept the number of refugees allotted to them.
The short term goal will be to disperse the refugees that have currently accumulated in Hungary, Italy, and Greece, which have served as the main entry points for refugees and migrants coming from the Middle East and North Africa.
Of the total refugees being distributed, 15,600 will come from Italy, 50,400 from Greece, and 54,000 from Hungary, according to the BBC.
Priority is being given to Iraqis, Syrians, and Eritreans, and the transfer of individual applicants is guaranteed within two months of applying.
The deal on which the ministers signed off didn't include an earlier proposal that would have punished any members who turned away their assigned refugees.
"Under the terms of the plan, countries could postpone taking up to 30% of their required total for up to a year if they had an emergency that prevented them from doing so," the Washington Post reported.
But given some of the sentiment against the quotas — and the lack of an enforcement mechanism — it's unclear just how the E.U. will handle those who balk at the incoming refugees.
“As long as I am prime minister, mandatory quotas will not be implemented on Slovak territory,” Robert Fico, prime minister of Slovakia, reportedly told his parliament in a sign of just how difficult the implementation might wind up being.
E.U. leaders will now have to vote on final approval of the proposal on Wednesday.