Macron for sanctions on EU states refusing migrants asylum

THE ARRIVAL OF MORE THAN ONE MILLION PEOPLE IN 2015, MOST FLEEING CONFLICT IN SYRIA AND IRAQ, HAS FUELLED TENSIONS AMONG MEMBER STATES

PARIS: France favours financial sanctions for European Union countries that refuse migrants with proven asylum status, President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday, deepening the divide between union members over the migrant crisis.

EU leaders will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday in Brussels to discuss disputes over migration with the aim to prepare the ground for a formal EU summit at the end of next week.

“I am for myself in favour of mechanisms that indeed take this into account,” Macron said when asked about his views on possible financial sanctions.

“You can’t have countries that massively benefit from the solidarity of the European Union and that massively voice their national selfishness when it comes to migrant issues,” he added, in a clear hint to Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, which oppose the EU relocation scheme for asylum seekers.

Macron suggested that additional conditions should be attached to the granting of the EU’s structural funds to guarantee the recipients take their share of asylum migrants.

HE made the comments after his first meeting with the new Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, at the Elysee palace. Both leaders agreed that additional detention centres should be opened in Europe to review asylum seekers’ applications.

This would come on top of so-called “disembarkation platforms” outside the EU where asylum requests could be assessed before claimants reach Europe.

Madrid, Berlin and other European capitals support this initiative, a diplomatic source told Reuters. REUTERS