Poland and Hungary continue to block European plans for migration policy in the European Union. During the EU summit in Brussels, the heads of government and state discussed the previously defined plans, but both countries have refused to agree for the time being. ‘That’s allowed, but the decision-making process is like making sausages. It will always be a little messy,” Prime Minister Rutte said in a conversation with the media after the first day of the summit.
The prime ministers of the two former Eastern bloc countries find the recently agreed agreements, inter alia, on the reception of asylum seekers at Europe’s external borders and on the taking into care of asylum seekers unacceptable.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki rejects the deals outright. He does not want to welcome asylum seekers and wants new agreements on closing the Polish borders with fences which should be financed by Brussels. Warsaw wants to include in the conclusions that EU countries have the right to conduct their own migration policy and decide for themselves who to accept on their territory.
“They actually announced it three weeks ago,” says Ria Cats, FD’s Europe correspondent. At that time, member states managed to reach an agreement on migration for the first time in seven years. It was therefore decided, inter alia, that all EU countries would contribute to migration policy.
Help or pay
‘Traditional destination countries like Italy and Greece, for example, can transfer asylum seekers to other countries if it gets too full. They can also redeem it by transferring 20,000 euros per asylum seeker not admitted to the country in question.’ Other assistance options include sending border control assistance or sending tents.
But Poland and Hungary do not want to accept asylum seekers and do not want to offer help. “They absolutely don’t want to agree and are basically saying these kinds of topics should be decided unanimously,” says Cats. But there is no majority for that position. “They drowned.” The intention is to continue discussing migration plans today.
Tunisia
An earlier migration deal with Tunisia would also be finalized at this EU summit in Brussels. “But Tunisia said this week that it’s not ready yet,” Cats says. The intention was for a European commissioner to travel to the country this week to dot the i’s and the t’s so that the deal could be presented later this week. But the trip was canceled last minute. Tunisia has indicated that officials are free this week in connection with the feast of the sacrifice. Tunisia did not want to jump.’
According to several diplomats, the necessary documents were sent to the country on time. It is not clear why Tunisia still does not want to agree, says Cats.
Turkey
Prime Minister Rutte, on the other hand, expects a migration deal to be concluded with Turkey next week. The intention is for Turkey to take back rejected asylum seekers and illegal migrants in exchange for aid in the fields of economy, energy and border control. “And that includes a lot of money.”
Source: BNR
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