Five years after Europe’s immigration crisis, Brussels will on Wednesday propose that Member States share responsibility for asylum seekers under a “mandatory solidarity mechanism”. But it could trigger outrage from countries such as Austria, whose chancellor Sebastian Kurz warned against any attempt to force EU countries to accept migrants.
The new pact on migration and asylum will be presented by EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson and Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas.
Johansson wants the 27 member states to commit to sharing the burden of dealing with asylum claims from migrants arriving on the bloc’s beaches. “It is clear to everyone that ad hoc solidarity or voluntary solidarity is not enough. It has been proven for many years now,” she said. “It must be mandatory.”
The plan makes showing solidarity with all EU countries on the front lines – often Greece, Italy or Malta – mandatory when they are “under pressure” from arrivals.
This may mean that support will no longer be limited to EU countries to which asylum seekers are relocated, but will be directed to other countries to return rejected asylum seekers to their country of origin.
Screams are expected
It is hoped that this measure will reassure EU countries such as the Visegrad Group – Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – which have persistently failed to welcome asylum seekers.
Still, it can be difficult to cope. In an exclusive interview with AFP, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has already warned the EU against forcing states to take in asylum seekers. “We find that distribution in Europe (by asylum seekers) has failed and many states reject this. It will not work like this,” said the 34-year-old Conservative leader.
Austria and other smaller countries – some of which, such as Hungary, have been criticized by Brussels for their immigration stance and in the rule of law – have previously spoken out against all mandatory distributions of asylum seekers.
European migration policy was back in the headlines earlier this month after a devastating fire in a crowded camp for migrants and asylum seekers on the Greek island of Lesbos that left thousands homeless.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last week that the new proposals would include plans to strengthen border security and return unsuccessful asylum seekers, which Kurz and allies are in favor of, while including “a new strong solidarity mechanism.”
Looking for alliances
Kurz said he welcomed the European Commission’s treatment of asylum and migration.
“We can only solve this issue together … Better protection of (EU) external borders, a united fight against smugglers, but also joined aid where needed (in countries where refugees come from), that is the way needed, he said.
Kurz, who makes his mark in European politics, has also sought allies in other subjects, such as when he worked with the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark – such as the so-called “Frugal Four” – to oppose direct EU support for coronavirus. affected countries proposed by Germany and France.
“The European Union is more than just Germany and France … As a small or medium-sized country, of course, one must always look for alliances, and in an EU of 27 Member States, one can only assert ideas if there are others who support them,” he said. AFP in an office in the chancellery.
Coronavirus ‘challenge’
Kurz became the world’s youngest chancellor when his conservative People’s Party (OeVP) formed a coalition government with the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) in 2017.
The coalition collapsed in 2019 after a corruption scandal engulfed the far-right FPO leader, which led to new elections in which Kurz’s party again gathered the most votes.
Kurz then formed a new coalition with the Greens and has ruled the alpine country with nearly nine million people since January.
Kurz said fighting the coronavirus pandemic was “a very big challenge”.
“I am still relatively young, but I have been part of the Austrian government for many years and I thought I had already gone through a lot of politics … Of course, the corona crisis now surpasses all previous experiences,” he said.
The country has so far been spared the crisis and reports almost 40,000 cases with 771 deaths so far, but infections have increased again in recent weeks.
This has led the government to extend mandatory worming and reintroduce some of the other restrictions introduced earlier this year to stop the spread of the virus.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Originally published on France24
Source: sn.dk