Seventeen countries within the Schengen Zone, including Greece, are calling for a revision of the legal framework to enable more “effective” returns of individuals who do not have the right to remain in the European Union.
Ahead of the EU Interior Ministers’ Council on Thursday 10, October in Luxembourg and the upcoming Summit on October 17-18, where the issue of returning illegal migrants will be high on the agenda, these countries have prepared a discussion document, known as a “Non-Paper.”
The paper, drafted by the Netherlands and Austria, is supported by France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Malta, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Croatia, and Lithuania, as well as Switzerland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.
These countries are advocating for a “new legal basis” that clearly defines the obligations and duties of third-country nationals subject to return decisions. They also seek a legal framework that addresses current challenges and developments, reflecting the needs of member states and associated countries, while fully considering the flexibility of countries to ensure effective returns-such as through further support for digitization and the simplification of processes. (More information on euronews.com)
It should be stressed that Greece is highly concerned about the developments in Middle East, fearing a migrants’ and refugees influx like the one in 2015 during the war in Syria.
If Greece and EU countries were so ‘concerned’ about the potential influx of Migrants from Lebanon, 1 million displaced Lebanese, not to mention the Syrians that went to Lebanon after the Syrian war, who will definitely need asylum in the EU.
Greece and indeed all the EU shouldn’t participate in supporting and facilitating the war that will lead to this problem in the first place.
Its a bit rich to call for a solution to something you are causing.