(VOVworld) – On October 26 the EU approved a 17-point plan to address the influx of migrants into European countries through the Balkan region. It is an attempt to improve migration management and slow down the biggest wave of migration since World War 2.
More than 670,000 people from war-torn countries - Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan - have fled to Europe so far this year. 3,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean. As winter is coming to Europe and more deaths on the Balkan route are likely if there is too little help from EU countries.
Coordinated action
Countries involved in the plan have agreed to receive 100,000 migrants each with the exception of Greece, which will receive just 50,000. The EU will send 400 security personnel to help Slovenia secure its borders with Croatia and Austria. The European Border Frontiers Agency (FRONTEX) is in charge of improving security at the borders between Greece, Macedonia, Albania, and Serbia.
Countries involved in the plan have also agreed to share information on the situation of migrants in their territory, particularly in border areas, on a weekly basis. Greece has been pressured to improve its control of borders outside the EU and with the Balkan states. Greece must also accelerate construction of refugee registration centers, which will classify and allocate refugees to other European countries. Migrants whose asylum applications are denied will be returned to their country of origin. According to the plan, the EU will step up the deportation of rejected refugees.
The EU Summit Statement said the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Council of Europe Development Bank stand ready to finance the effort. This week the European Commission will meet with representatives of these banks to discuss the details.
Formidable difficulties
Prior to the summit, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said he doubted the feasibility of this special summit because leaders of only 8 EU states attended while every decision must be approved by all 28 members. A spokesperson for the European Commission Margaritis Schinas said “Only a European collective cross-border approach based on cooperation can succeed”. The effectiveness of the 17-point plan remains to be seen. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the plan is not a comprehensive solution to the migrant crisis. Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cere said if summit committments are not realized immediately the situation will not improve. He added that in that case Slovenia will consider erecting a border fence to prevent thousands of migrants from Croatia from entering Slovenia. Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic expressed his concern that if the flow of migrants does not follow the route from Greece to Macedonia and Serbia before reaching north European nations, everything will be the same.
Finance is another major problem. On the threshold of the summit President of the European Commission Junck Claude Juncker urged EU members to honor their emergency aid commitments. 2.3 billion euros has been committed to resolve the migrant crisis but only 275 million euros has actually been provided.
People in a number of EU countries have begun to boycott the migrants. In Germany police have foiled attempts to set fire to tented refugee camps. Many members of extreme right-wing movements and criminal gangs have been arrested for attempting to attack migrants.
The migrant crisis in Europe, the worst since World War 2, is putting huge pressure on EU countries. The 17-point plan will succeed only if EU members cooperate with goodwill but this seems very unlikely.