"Why do you need to leave Turkey to Europe?"

What European politicians say about the migration crisis

In the European Union there was a split between Western and Eastern countries that look differently at how the migration crisis can be solved. The most controversial point was the question of the quota, that is, the distribution of the growing number of migrants on EU member states. Medusa collected the statements of some European politicians about the migrants and vitality of the European Union, confirming that the EU has no unity of opinions.

If the Eastern Bloc believes that it is necessary to better protect the boundaries of the European Union and limit the flow of refugees, then part of Central and Northern Europe proposes to develop a fair mechanism for the distribution of refugees in the EU. At the same time, the eastern countries emphasize that migrants do not want to linger on their territory - they seek Germany and France. However, under the Dublin agreement, the refugee is obliged to register in the first country of the European Union, where he enters. The hardest all because of this is Greece, Italy and Hungary, who simply cannot cope with the influx of migrants, who intensified, in particular, because of the civil war in Syria.

In the spring of 2015, the European Commission proposed introducing mandatory migration quotas, but this decision was criticized by most EU members. On September 14, the leaders of the European Union should gather in Brussels for an extraordinary summit to discuss the migration crisis, but they almost do not have points of contact in this matter - which makes it possible to talk about the crisis of the EU itself. While they are only arguing, to whom to help, and to whom - not, transferring part of responsibility and guilt to each other.

About migrants and crisis

Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel: “If Europe cannot agree on a fair distribution of refugees, then the Schengen agreement will be called into question. We do not want this ”( Yahoo News ).

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban: “This is not European problem, but German. No one wants to stay in Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Estonia. Everyone wants to go to Germany. Our work is only to register them ”( The Wall Street Journal ).

“From a moral point of view, it is worth clarifying: do not come! Why do you need to leave Turkey to Europe? Türkiye is a safe country. Stay there. We cannot guarantee that you will be accepted here ”( Die Welt ).

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius: “When I see that some countries do not agree to quotas, I find it outrageous. <...> Hungary is part of Europe. Europe has a certain value system, and the fence with barbed wire contradicts it ”( Euronews ).

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Laichak: “In fact, the Schengen zone has ceased to exist. <...> Through countries that are required to protect the Schengen borders, migrants travel completely freely. Under normal circumstances, it is difficult to get a Schengen visa, and now tens of thousands of people come here, and no one controls them. Do we have Schengen or do we not have it? " ( TASS )

Chairman of the European Council Donald Tusk: “A fair distribution of at least 100 thousand refugees between the EU countries is what we need to do” (Russian BBC Russian service ).

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Grzegozh Kotnyna : “The scale of migration is huge, so we cannot only think about the distribution of refugees, ignoring the causes of [their arrival]” ( Reuters ).

“We need to do everything you need to stop illegal migration and stop them at the borders of Europe” ( Warsaw Business Journal ).

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi: “The problem is not that Italy was in such an emergency alone. We are a great country that will not fall into hysteria due to the fact that several thousand migrants per year will come here. If we must act alone, we will not save. However, the response of the whole of Europe is more important than one Italy. <...> We are at a crossroads, and we must decide: events in the Mediterranean are the problem of everyone or only the inhabitants of the region. <...> I do not want a symbol of European identity to become a wall between Hungary and Serbia or a wall of distrust between the EU countries ”( The Irish Times ).

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkyavichyus : “We are ready to help those who are running from the war and trying to save their lives, but not to those who only want to get better” ( delfi ).

The head of the Foreign Ministry of Austria Sebastian Kurtz : “All our main ideas and principles are in danger. Since we are not able to protect our external borders, other countries, looking at us, will think whether the model of the state with open boundaries is suitable for them. <...> We must understand how to improve the European Union ”( NDTV ).

British Prime Minister David Cameron: “I do not think that we can find a decision, just making more and more refugees” ( The Guardian , September 2).

“Great Britain is a decent country, and we will fulfill our moral obligations. We accept thousands of people and take another thousands ”( The Guardian , September 3).

Chairman of the Government of Spain Mariano Rahoy: “Some countries do not want to accept refugees. They cannot be made ”( CNN ).

“Firstly, Italy and Greece need to be asked to build centers for refugees <...> Secondly, we must develop unified European standards for the provision of asylum. Thirdly, we must start working on a single global migration policy ”( El Pais ).

Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vucich: “We are more Europeans than you [EU citizens], when it comes to migrants. <...> Despite the fact that Serbia is not an EU member, this is only its strategic goal, we are ready to take on our share of responsibility. Serbia did not install the walls and prickly wire ”( Euronews ).