The European Commission plans to commence legal action against Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic over the countries’ refusal to take in their quote of refugees, the Reuters agency has reported.

Reuters said that the legal action will be launched on Tuesday.

“The European Commission was due to agree at a regular meeting on Tuesday to send the so-called letters of formal notice to Warsaw and Budapest,” three diplomats and EU officials told Reuters.

The agency added that two other sources had said that “Prague was also on the list”.

These kinds of letters mark the first step in the so-called “infringement procedures” which the Commission can open against EU member states for “failing to meet their legal obligations”, Reuters said.

The agency added that the legal procedures “mark a sharp political escalation of a dispute between the Commission and EU states”.

At a press conference on Monday, Poland’s Interior Minister Mariusz Błasczak said that punishing countries for not accepting refugees is “groundless”.

Poland has not accepted any refugees as part of a programme to relocate asylum seekers residing in camps in Italy and Greece.

The ruling Law and Justice party has voiced opposition to the EU redistribution plans. (rg)