ZAGREB, May 20, 2019 – Since 2015 the EU has not managed to find an adequate response to the arrival of a growing number of migrants, except for closing borders and growing repression on borders, while the asylum system is waiting for an overhaul even though some member states have made it clear that they will not accept changes that entail distribution of migrants among EU countries, it was said at a round table discussion on migrations in Zagreb on Monday.
The discussion, organised by the Centre for Peace Studies (CMS) nongovernmental organisation, was attended by representatives of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, who spoke about the current situation regarding migrations and expectations in relation to decision-makers at the local and the EU level.
CMS representatives said they expected Croatian members of the European Parliament to demand that Croatia put an end to violence and unlawful activities on borders. They also called for “thoroughly investigating” what they described as unlawful and forcible deportations of refugees across Croatia’s borders and the punishment of those responsible for them.
CMS activists said they wanted an end to be put to abuse and partial interpretations of Croatian and European laws to justify violation of migrants’ human rights.
“A comprehensive migration and integration policy based on analyses of the situation needs to be adopted. Adequate funding needs to be expended both at the national and EU levels to support a two-way integration process, which includes cooperation between all stakeholders – the local community, civil society, citizens and the private sector,” said Julija Kranjec of the CMS.
She added that the CMS expected Croatian MEPs to see it to that the EU “ensures safe and legal routes for persons seeking security in the EU and to ensure a functional asylum system.”
The CMS expects the EU to support countries along the so-called Balkan route (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia), restrict the powers of the European border and coast guard agency Frontex and the establishment of ‘an independent mechanism to control conduct on borders’.
More news about the migrant crisis can be found in the Politics section.
