Status: 18/09/2023, 13:48 p.m.
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Refugee drama on the holiday beach: Thousands arrive on the island of Lampedusa. Here they have already been rescued from their small boats. © CIRO FUSCO
The refugee crisis in Lampedusa, Italy, is coming to a head – and Europe has no answer. EPP leader Manfred Weber (CSU) blames the traffic light. A guest contribution.
Brussels – The chaotic conditions on Lampedusa make it clear even to those who have so far consistently looked the other way that the EU states are in a new migration crisis. When I warned of this impending migration crisis at the turn of the year and discussed European solutions with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, I was heavily criticized not only in Brussels, but also in Berlin. Many wanted to sit out the obvious challenge once again out of fear of the demagogues and radicals.
It is clear to me that we must never push away the pressing issues for tactical reasons, but must tackle and solve them. This is the most important task of politics. The authorities in southern Europe have long anticipated the wave of migration coming to Europe. For Italy alone, they predicted up to 2023,300 refugees in 000 – a number comparable to the inhabitants of Bavaria's third-largest city, Augsburg.
Refugees in Italy: Germany must do more – Manfred Weber demands in a guest article
Before every European summit, the Christian Democrat EPP has urged action. But German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and President Emmanuel Macron decided to do nothing – Macron instead closed the borders to Italy. This did not stop the dying in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Italy, it only made the problem bigger. Imagine the reaction of the German public if we were to experience the same intolerable conditions on a German island that the inhabitants of Lampedusa are currently confronted with with over 6000 arrivals every day.
Chancellor Scholz and President Macron decided to do nothing.
Manfred Weber
EPP leader Manfred Weber © JULIEN WARNAND
Drama on Lampedusa: The refugees want to go to Germany – but still more Frontex controls
It is becoming very clear that we, as Europeans, can only meet the migration challenge together. The migrants don't want to go to Lampedusa, but to Europe and also to Germany. The principles for a common European migration policy can only be: humanity, control and limitation of immigration, decisive Frontex controls at the EU's external border, consistent repatriations and tough action against smugglers and smugglers.
Leadership from the political center is also the best medicine against radicals. Unfortunately, the traffic light government is largely failing on migration and asylum policy in both Berlin and Brussels. It is a crucial brake on a quick agreement in the EU. And the responsible Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser (SPD), is busy with her election campaign in Hesse instead of prioritizing this central task.
Asylum debate in Germany: The Greens ignore the realities – says Manfred Weber
Since 2015 at the latest, we have known that Europe needs a new asylum and refugee system. The Dublin system is failing because it is being eroded by national selfishness. "Wash my fur, but don't wet me" – this is the principle of all those who reject a European solution, from right-wing populists to the political left. They ignore political responsibility in the face of the geopolitical challenge of migratory flows. Every government is criticized for wanting to carry out consistent border controls, be it Greek, Italian, Austrian or Bulgarian.
Dispute over Frontex: Border guards are not the problem in the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean
On Friday, the Greens put the crown on this policy with their draft European election programme when they do not call for better control options and more powers for the European border and coast guard Frontex, but instead for increased control of Frontex, as if the border guards and not the smugglers were the problem in this crisis. At the same time, the Greens are trying to torpedo the European solution to the migration crisis found by the European interior ministers in the European Parliament and to prevent the Tunisia agreement. We would need similar agreements with other EU neighbours.
Functioning asylum procedures are long overdue
Anyone who, like the Greens, fights necessary European solutions is not a European party. As European parties, we as the EPP, CDU and CSU are committed to European solutions because they are the best solutions for the future, such as the creation of the internal market, the euro or the Covid vaccine. Today, a functioning European migration policy is long overdue. We need the Global Compact for Migration, which strengthens border controls at the EU's external borders, introduces orderly asylum procedures at the EU's external borders, streamlines asylum procedures, consistently applies deportations and combats the abuse of secondary movements. At the same time, the neighbourhood agreement with Tunisia must be concluded quickly, both before the end of this year. Olaf Scholz and his comrades must do something about this.
The SPD is also delaying the approval of the migration compromise reached in the European Parliament. Instead of more Sunday speeches, the Chancellor should get his SPD on course and travel to Lampedusa and Tunisia and show that migration policy finally needs the full attention of the political leadership and sustainable solutions.