Applying to the EU for funding protection against migrant flows

Twelve European countries, including Greece, have asked the EU to finance the construction of barriers to prevent the flow of illegal migrants.

In their letter to Brussels addressed to the Interior Minister Ilva Johansson and the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margarita Schoinas, on Thursday, the ministers of the interior of 12 countries note that “the natural barrier seems to be an effective measure to protect borders that serve the interests of the entire European Union, and not only border countries “. The appeal emphasizes:

“Observation of the border does not prevent illegal crossings, and this legal measure must be subject to additional and adequate funding from the European budget.”

The appeal was signed, reports AFP, by the ministers of Austria, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia. These states are calling for “a decisive response to the instruments of illegal immigration and hybrid threats”:

No third country should be able to use our asylum system to exert political pressure and blackmail on the EU and member states, or take advantage of the current situation in Afghanistan.

In recent months, thousands of migrants have crossed the Belarusian border, striving deep into the EU through Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. Brussels blames the regime of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko for this. Poland and Lithuania began to build barbed wire fences on part of the border with Belarus. Hungary erected such a fence on its border with Serbia during the 2015 immigration crisis.

The addressed appeal refers to the Council of the Interior, which met today in Luxembourg. In August, the EC voted to erect a fence between Lithuania and Belarus, noting that the project is not planned to be funded by Community funds.

Home Affairs Commissioner Elva Johansson said on Friday, referring to the letter, that EU countries have “the opportunity and the right to build fences” on their borders:

“I do not mind. But whether limited European resources should be used to finance the construction of fences instead of other things that are also important is another question. It is really not worth making new proposals, “while those concerning the new Immigration and Asylum Pact, the reform proposed by the Commission, are still under discussion.”

Many EU member states have a positive view of tough protection of its borders by Greece… Recent events in Afghanistan may again affect Greece, and this is of great concern. Welt talks about the processes of recent weeks, the debate within the EU and the disagreements that have arisen over the means of managing the new wave of refugees. For Greece, illegal immigration is a serious threat to national security. The European Union, for its part, insists on solidarity in the face of humanitarian crises like the Afghan one.

…



Source link