Slovakian PM Robert Fico has been stepping up his stance over Brexit 18 Sept
At an end of the first EU summit without the UK on Friday, Mr Fico said that he and other Central European leaders whose citizens make up much of the EU migrant population in Britain would not let those people become "second class citizens".
But in an interview with Reuters yesterday, he went further.
"V4 [Visegrad group] countries will be uncompromising.Unless we feel a guarantee that these people are equal, we will veto any agreement between the EU and Britain."
Fico claims to speak on behalf of the Visegrad Four (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) but the Czech ambassador to the UK pointed out this was not an "official statement" of the Visegrad countries' common position on their approach to Brexit negotiations.
He said that while he respected Mr Fico's opinion, it was for Poland - which holds the Visegrad presidency - to speak on behalf of the group.
The Visegrad group has consistently opposed EU efforts to introduce mandatory quotas for migrants but Fico said the EU had shifted from a debate over mandatory quotas to a new principle of "flexible solidarity" over the migrant crisis.
Add the comments to the rumours surrounding UK fin min Hammond's reported stance of giving up on EU single market access to take a stronger line on immigration and the plot becomes ever thicker.
No one said Brexit was going to be easy though.
Enjoy the rest of your week-end one and all.
Slovakian PM Fico -Ready to fight over Brexit
