PH France, Spain and Italy have formed their own interest group to counter the power wielded by Merkel

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Members of the influential Visegrad group, which comprises of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, rejected migrant quotas and blasted the overbearing EU Commission with an incendiary ultimatum. The group represents a faction of nations which have become increasingly concerned by authoritarian Brussels, with Poland and Hungary both locked in bitter legal battles with the EU. Their demands come after a separate clique of Mediterranean states, including France, Spain and Italy, formed their own interest group to counter the power wielded by Angela Merkel.

The developments are a sign of the spiralling disintegration of the EU which is seeing the bloc fray into a series of powerful factions, each fighting to impose their own interest on bureaucrats in Brussels. In their statement the Visegrad group said: "Our ambition is to reassert the vision and principles enshrined in the Treaties and win back the trust of our citizens." The countries listed five key areas where they feel the European project has gone astray, and included concrete demands from other nations to fix the issues. The first ultimatum was over the erosion of democracy by the increasingly authoritarian EU Commission, which is swamping member states in thousands of dictatorial laws.

REUTERS EU bigwigs gathered in Slovakia for a huge summit

The group said: "It is necessary to strengthen the role of national parliaments underlining respect for the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality." They then moved on to the issue of equality across the union, making a pointed barb that eastern European states feel they are being sidelined by Germany and France over key decision making. The statement blasted: "European integration is a common project and all negotiations should therefore be inclusive and open to all member states." Next the Visegrad group addressed the issue of security, which has become a hot topic following a series of bloody terror attacks across the continent linked to the migrant crisis.

EPA Viktor Orban's Hungary rejected migrant quotas and blasted the overbearing EU Commission

They said: "Recent terrorist attacks in Europe are proof that there is a new challenge which the EU must deal with - the growing terrorism and cross-border crime." "The Visegrad Group countries point out that the efforts should be channelled to fully implement the already undertaken commitments aiming at strengthening security in Schengen area as well as the protection of EU's external borders." Linked closely to security was the issue of migration, which is a key issue for a group of five countries which have been on the frontline of the escalating asylum chaos. Their statement demanded: "Migration policy should be based on the principle of 'flexible solidarity'.

GETTY The visegrad group, made up of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, state they are sidelined in decisions

GETTY The group also addressed the problems with the single market - including the Euro project