Polish and Hungarian leaders expressed their strong opposition to reforming the European migration system during the summit of the 27 countries in Spain on Friday, just two days after reaching an agreement deemed essential among member states.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, upon arriving at the informal EU summit held in Granada, said, "We are not afraid of the dictates coming from Brussels and Berlin."

He also reiterated his rejection of imposing a system for "distributing illegal migrants" to his country, ten days before the legislative elections in Poland, which are expected to see intense competition.

His Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán went further in his criticisms, stating, "If you are violated in the name of the law, and forced to accept something you do not like, how can a compromise or agreement be reached? That is impossible."

The issue of migration, which is one of the contentious topics among the twenty-seven countries, was included on the agenda of this summit following the recent influx of migrants to the small Italian island of Lampedusa, reminding of the urgent need for a European response.

On Wednesday, EU ambassadors agreed on a regulatory framework that establishes a mandatory solidarity mechanism among member states in the event that one of these countries faces an "exceptional situation" related to the arrival of "large numbers" of migrants at its borders.

The regulation, which also includes a system that curtails traditional asylum procedures and provides less protection for migrants, was negotiated to overcome the hesitations of both Germany and Italy.

This regulation, the final part of the EU asylum and migration pact that will be negotiated with the European Parliament, was approved by the member states with a qualified majority as the treaties dictate, and not unanimously as Poland and Hungary demand.

These two countries voted against the text, while Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic abstained from voting.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed what she described as a "major success" on Friday.

The day before, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed her satisfaction, stating, "The vision of Europe and its ambitions regarding migration issues is evolving towards a more realistic line concerning the question of legality and the desire to combat human trafficking and to stop illegal migration."

Poland and Hungary also unsuccessfully demanded that the final declaration of the Granada summit include a reference to the necessity of consensus on adopting migration reform, according to diplomatic sources.

This dispute could prevent a joint declaration on migration. This occurred during the Brussels summit at the end of June and the beginning of July when the Polish-Hungarian duo obstructed the ratification of the meeting's outcomes to express their opposition to two other texts from the migration pact that were approved by member states shortly before.

However, the declaration regarding migration under discussion before Friday's summit was tightened during the preparation period. The draft, which was reviewed by AFP, particularly emphasizes the need to address illegal migration "immediately and firmly" and to "intensify the deportation" of illegal migrants.

It confirms the EU's determination to establish "mutually beneficial global partnerships with countries of origin and transit."