2023-09-17 13:27:23
Ursula von der Leyen and Giorgia Meloni called for solidarity from Member States in welcoming migrants who arrive in Lampedusa, in particular through voluntary relocations. Belgium cannot respond positively to it, said Nicole de Moor.
Belgium cannot accepttually respond positively to the demand for ad hoc (non-obligatory) relocation of migrants arrived in Lampedusa, confirmed the Secretary of State for Migration and Asylum, Nicole de Moor, following the call for solidarity from Member States launched on Sunday on the Italian island by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“We are experiencing a shortage of reception places and let’s do everything we can to have it available for those who come forward in Belgium. Currently, we cannot, as a country, give a positive response to ad hoc relocations,” indicated the office of the CD&V representative, interviewed by Belga.
We are experiencing a shortage of reception places and are doing everything we can to make them available for those who report to Belgium. Currently, we cannot, as a country, give a positive response to ad hoc relocations.
Ms de Moor recalls, however, that Belgium has long advocated for a fair distribution of migrants and can only commit to permanent relocation agreements. “For these, we are fulfilling our part, in accordance with the agreements.” “The current complex situation, both in Belgium and Italy, demonstrates the urgent need to achieve a new system for Europe, with the Pact on Migration and Asylum,” adds Moor’s office.
The president of the CD&V and former Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Sammy Mahdi, echoed the same sentiment on the set of the show C’est pas tous les jours Dimanche on the private television channel RTL . “We cannot take everyone into our country, we have reached certain limits,” he said, defending the efforts of the current federal government to deal with the influx of asylum seekers. “We’ve never spent so much” in this area, he said, ensuring that the current government had created 9,000 places to accommodate asylum seekers in a year and a half.
We urge other member states to use the voluntary solidarity mechanism.
Emergency plan
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented on Sunday on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa a 10-point emergency plan to help Italy manage the record arrival of migrants on its territory. The commission wants in particular facilitate the transfer of people arriving in Lampedusa – which are usually taken by boat to Sicily or the continent – including to other European countries. “Irregular immigration is a European challenge that needs a European response,” insisted Ms von der Leyen during a press point in Lampedusa. “We urge other member states to use the voluntary solidarity mechanism,” she said, without mentioning Germany which recently decided to no longer receive migrants arriving in Italy.
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