Migration returns to the political agenda of the European Union / Article

Migration is back on the political agenda of European countries. The new Italian government does not want to accept the ships of non-governmental organizations that rescue migrants drowned in the Mediterranean.

On the other hand, Austria and the Czech Republic have restored border control with Slovakia, as many migrants also pass through it. Meanwhile, in Belgium, some Ukrainian refugees have to sleep in a train station.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ilva Johansson says it is important to speed up the return of irregular migrants.

“We have a very good political agreement on the rapid return of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. Now it has to be used. We see that many of the new arrivals do not need international protection. They come from countries where they can be returned quickly.”

The Italian government recently announced that this country cannot be the only place where immigrants from Africa arrive. However, Rome’s tough stance strained relations with Paris. Many representatives of Afghans, Syrians and other countries also pass through Serbia.

Belgium currently has no space to accommodate around 5,000 asylum seekers. That’s why even a Ukrainian woman with cancer has to sleep on the floor at the Brussels train station.

Belgian State Secretary for Migration and Asylum Nicolas de Mora wants to see a more equal distribution of arrivals between countries.

“Anyone arriving at our external borders must be screened immediately.

It seems that 60% of arrivals do not need international protection. That’s a significant number of people who can and should be sent home sooner.

Those in need of international protection should be more evenly distributed among member states, because we currently do not have a unified redistribution system.”

However, Commissioner Johansson believes that the system of redistribution of arrivals is already working. Discussions on other solutions will continue at the next meeting in December.

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