The interior ministers of the European Union are meeting today in Warsaw to discuss migration problems, Agence France-Presse and DPA report, quoted by BTA.
Migration is back on the EU agenda, with member states pushing for tougher measures in the face of growing right-wing and far-right extremism.
During the meeting, which is taking place amid increasing tensions over migration issues, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner said that new, stricter rules for expelling illegal immigrants are being worked on.
According to him, “there is no explanation why people who are not allowed to stay in the EU are not being returned to their countries of origin“.
Creating centres in third countries is at the heart of the debate
One of the ideas being discussed is opening migrant centres in countries outside the EU, where people whose asylum applications have been rejected would be sent. According to Paris, this model is attractive, but difficult to implement due to legal and operational challenges. The dispute over the management of these centers also remains unresolved, raising the question of whether they will be run by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency or by the countries where they will be located. In addition, human rights concerns are growing in the context of such an approach.
The Scandinavian countries, led by Denmark, as well as Poland, Austria, the Netherlands and Italy, support the creation of these centers. However, some European countries express reservations, insisting that these centers should not be located on their borders to avoid pressure from migrants who will try to re-enter the EU.
Spain rejects the idea of migrant centers
Among the countries expressing doubts is Spain. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said that protecting refugees was a fundamental value for European society and refused to support the proposal.
The European Commission may be tempted to propose a more timid solution in March, calling for consideration of the possibility of creating migrant centers, but without including concrete plans for their implementation.
Germany, Austria back tougher migration measures
The debate in Warsaw comes a day after the German parliament backed plans for tougher rules on migration. Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner expressed support for Germany's initiatives and said Austria would also carry out checks at its borders.
Russia's growing influence on migration flows
European Commissioner Magnus Brunner stressed that migration is being used as a “pawn and weapon” in hybrid attacks, pointing to Russia as the main factor in the escalation of migration flows to the EU. Eastern European countries accuse Moscow and Minsk of directing migrants to the EU's eastern borders in an attempt to undermine the bloc's stability.