EU Ministerial Meeting on Asylum and Migration Policy
German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has said his country is prepared to take in a quarter of the refugees rescued in the Mediterranean. Disagreements within the European Union over the reception and distribution of refugees continue.
On the eve of a meeting of EU interior ministers on coordinating immigration policy and distributing refugees, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has announced that the country is willing to accept a quarter of the refugees who have been rescued in the Mediterranean waters during their journey to Europe.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has welcomed this policy of the German government and expressed hope that such a policy could lead to the support of other European countries.
Dominik Bartsch, the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Germany, has called for the creation of a system for the reception and distribution of refugees and war refugees in Europe.
Bartsch once again referred to the increase in the number of refugees and said that, according to UN information, the number of Afghan refugees is increasing and it is likely that as a result of Turkey's pressure on Syrian refugees and displaced persons, a number of them will move to other European countries.
The meeting of EU interior ministers is being held in a situation where the possibility of an imminent Turkish attack on northern Syria could add further dimensions to the refugee crisis.
Criticism of the Quadripartite Agreement
In September, Germany, France, Italy and Malta agreed to share and accept refugees rescued in the Mediterranean Sea.
Now, three countries - Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria - have protested the agreement by preparing a document that is scheduled to be presented to the meeting of ministers of the European Union member states on Tuesday, October 8th.
The three countries have stated that the agreement only covers those refugees who are rescued from sea accidents in the central parts of the Mediterranean Sea. However, the issue of refugees and displaced persons in the three countries of Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria is not included in the agreement.
The three-country document points to the overcrowding of the Aegean islands, noting that more than 10,000 refugees from Turkey reached the Greek islands in the Aegean in September alone.
A state of emergency has also been declared in Cyprus. The three countries have called for the European Union to provide a solution for a more equitable distribution of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees.
In addition, the three countries have called for more financial assistance from the European Union to solve the refugee problem. Greece has also stressed the importance of the EU-Turkey deal.
According to the EU agreement with Turkey, Greece can return refugees who reach the country via Turkey, and in addition, Turkey is also obliged to prevent refugees living in Turkey from traveling to other European countries.
This comes as increasing pressure on Syrian refugees and displaced persons in Türkiye has led to their attempts to reach other European countries.
Source: DW
