A change is underway in the EU’s migration policy, which, having learned from the 2015 crisis, no longer exhibits this attitude of full disclosure. On the contrary – this change concerns the need to strengthen the external borders. Some taboos have been broken – said Elżbieta Rafalska in an interview with PAP.PL.
Increasing migration to the EU
Last week, the heads of state and government of the member states discussed at the summit in Brussels, among other things: the issue of increasing migration to the EU and the pressure this puts on the member states. Data from the European Commission shows that the number of attempts to illegally cross the EU border reached a staggering 330,000 last year – the highest number since the 2016 crisis year. “Die Welt” revealed that across all EU countries, the number of asylum applications almost doubled. In the case of Austria, we are talking about a tripling.
On migration, the conclusion is clear: we need to work together
— said the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen after the EU summit.
We agreed on concrete and operational steps in two directions. Firstly, to keep the momentum going with the Migration and Asylum Pact. I count on the Swedish and Spanish Presidencies of the EU Council. Secondly, four types of priority actions we can take now: strengthening external borders, accelerating readmission and fighting human smuggling, cooperation with partners on readmission, tackling secondary movements of migrants
— von der Leyen.
“Breaking the taboo that people didn’t want to talk about”
In an interview with PAP.PL, Elżbieta Rafalska, PiS MEP, pointed out that the EU had “broken a taboo that people didn’t want to talk about” on migration.
There is a change in the EU’s migration policy, which, as learned from the crisis in 2015, does not show this attitude of full disclosure. On the contrary – this change concerns the need to strengthen the external borders. It is noted today that for example Bulgaria alone will not be able to fund the efforts to erect a barrier at the border and that the EU will co-finance this border infrastructure
Raphael emphasized.
The Austrian chancellor said openly that the brakes should be applied. (…) This is something completely new
she added.
According to the MEP, “the previously mentioned forced allocation mechanism for migrants, which Poland protested against, is goodbye.”
Work on the Migration and Asylum Pact will not end so soon. It will probably not be possible until the end of this term (EP) until 2024
noted the politician.
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wkt/PAP
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.