Speaking Europe, shutting doors: legitimation of exclusionary migration policies in Slovakia during the 2015 Schengen crisis

Refugees often face exclusionary practices, and understanding the political dynamics behind these actions is becoming increasingly essential amid recurring crises. This research examines how Slovak political elites deliberately framed migration as a governance issue and security threat during the 2015 European Schengen crisis. The article identifies two primary rhetorical patterns: the institutionalization of the crisis and Europeanization without commitment. The former illustrates how migration was framed as an existential threat, promoting legal challenges to EU frameworks and restrictive policies. The latter underscores how the Slovak elites bolstered narratives of national sovereignty by seemingly aligning with European norms while resisting substantial policy commitments. The research demonstrates that political discourse prioritizes institutional authority over humanitarian concerns, reducing migrants to bureaucratic entities rather than acknowledging them as individuals with personal experiences. By externalizing accountability and portraying Slovakia as a passive recipient of insufficient and harmful EU policies, Slovak government politicians rationalized exclusionary measures and, simultaneously, avoided integration calls. These findings complement research on migrant governance, elite discourse, and securitization in Central and Eastern Europe. Ultimately, the paper calls for additional comparative research on migrant/refugee narratives within the Visegrad Group countries and beyond, reconsidering how crisis-oriented framing influences long-term policy development and EU cohesion.