GETTY Hungary has reacted furiously to the ECJ decision

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In an X-rated riposte Budapest called the decision of the European Court of Justice “appalling and irresponsible” and suggested they will continue to fight against migrant quotas. In response the EU’s weary looking migration commission Dimitris Avramopoulos today warned the country, along with fellow rebels Poland and the Czech Republic, that they face being hauled up in court.

The already explosive row between Eastern states and Brussels went nuclear after the ECJ delivered its long expected verdict that member states did not breach EU law when they agreed the quota system. Eurocrats have already begun infringement proceedings against the three states over their refusal to take in migrants under the scheme. A fourth initial rebel, Slovakia, has since backed down.

GETTY The number of migrants arriving in Italy has slowed

National governments and EU officials had been keenly awaiting the decision from euro judges today, which confirmed the legality of the programme and means legal action can now be brought against the trio. The case, brought by Hungary and the Czech Republic and supported by the other two, had revolved around claims the EU Council erred in the technical process of adopting the scheme but these was rejected. Reacting to the judgement, which “dismisses in their entirety the actions brought by Slovakia and Hungary”, Budapest’s foreign minister Peter Szijjarto delivered a furious tirade. Branding the ruling ”appalling and irresponsible“, he raged: ”This decision jeopardises the security and future of all of Europe. Politics has raped European law and values.”

Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto Politics has raped European law and values

The EU is now actively looking at stepping up infringement proceedings against the three countries if they fail to implement the decision immediately and start taking refugees from Italy and Greece. Hungary and Poland in particular have entrenched themselves in for an attritional war on the issue, arguing that to do so would endanger both their citizens’ security and their countries’ Christian values. At a press conference in Brussels today, Mr Avramopoulos said: “We have not changed our political position, it’s very very clear. It is mandatory and the messages were very clear from the very beginning. “So member states are obliged legally and politically, even morally, to do their part of sharing in a responsible way the principle of solidarity in practice. “If the member states that have not relocated at all do not change their approach in the coming weeks we should therefore consider to take the last step in the infringement procedure and refer Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to the ECJ.”

Powerful images as migrants protest in Hungary Tue, April 4, 2017 Migrants protest outside Budapest's Keleti Railway Station after it was closed off by police to prevent people travelling on to western Europe Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 53 A migrant taunts Hungarian riot police as they fire tear gas and water cannon on the Serbian side of the border, near Roszke