EU
Parliament President Schulz has called out EU states on Monday for selfish
"egotism" in the acceptance and relocation of refugees. He blamed a
lack of European solidarity for the disorganization of the refugee crisis.
Deutsche Welle, 31 Aug 2015
European Parliament President Martin Schulz |
European
Parliament President Martin Schulz heavily criticized several EU states on
Monday for their unwillingness to accept refugees.
"We
are currently experiencing national egotism in its purest form,"
criticized Schulz in an interview with Deutschlandfunk on Monday morning.
Schulz
estimated that 90 percent of all refugees were being accepted by a total of
nine countries out of the 28 EU member states. “The vast majority of countries
in the EU are taking in just ten percent of the refugees. It doesn't work like
that,” urged Schulz.
A divided
front
Numerous EU
states bristled at recommendations for concrete refugee distribution quotas,
including eastern European states, Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark. Many of
these states wish to deal with the refugee problem on a national level, rather
than on an EU level
Schulz
wondered if this trend of pick-and-choose politics in the EU could hold out in
the long run. He said the opposing stances seem "cynical," especially
when taking into consideration the daily sorrows and dangers facing refugees.
"The
Mediterranean Sea is becoming a mass grave, horrific scenes are playing out on
the borders, there is a blame game going on, and above all, people who are
seeking our protection are not being helped," he said in Monday's edition
of the German daily "Die Welt."
German
Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a fast and fair distribution of asylum
seekers on Sunday. Germany is one of the EU countries most impacted by the
influx of refugees. The interior ministers of Germany, France and Britain have
called for an urgent meeting to discuss concrete solutions to the crisis.
rs/jil (epd, Reuters)
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