RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

European Decisions on Mediterranean Refugee Crisis

EU leaders convened on Thursday in Brussels to work out an action plan to tackle the northern African refugee crisis.

European Decisions on Mediterranean Refugee Crisis
European Decisions on Mediterranean Refugee Crisis

, 24.04.2015, 13:29

An Amnesty International report shows that out of 23 refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean into the EU, one dies because of the poor state of the boats used by smugglers



As the migration issue grows into an acute EU problem, European leaders held an emergency meeting in Brussels to find solutions. The special summit was convened after the week before a boat carrying hundreds of people, mostly illegal migrants from Libya and Syria, sank off the Libyan coast. Over 800 deaths thus added to the 900 ones reported since the beginning of the year during attempts to reach the EU by sea. This is not a new problem, but data indicate that the wave of illegal migrants has considerably increased since last year. Refugee centres in Italy and Greece are overcrowded, and Germany received 173 thousand asylum applications last year.



Facing a growing number of immigrants, Italy, which has received 25 thousand refugees this year alone, has lately called for a military intervention against Libyan people smugglers. PM Matteo Renzi has requested the agreement of the EU for destroying the boats used by traffickers before these cross the Mediterranean. The suggestion was backed by France, whose Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius stressed that those boats did not appear just out of nowhere.



There are criminals and even terrorists who make profits from the desperation of people. The head of the European Council, Donald Tusk, emphasised that this was a European problem, and not only a problem of the countries in the south of the continent. We have a shared responsibility, he added, and called on all member countries to join efforts to reduce the refugee death toll.



In his address, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis focused on the need for solidarity with the countries that bear the brunt of receiving these migrants. In the medium and long run, we need to address the roots of this phenomenon, Iohannis said, namely the poverty in the North African areas that these refugees are trying to leave. The President also said Romania is willing to send experts to the area.



The participants in the summit agreed to triple the funding for Mediterranean search and rescue, with operation Triton set to benefit from 120 million euro per year, as against 36 million at present. The EU will also look at ways to capture and destroy the boats used by smugglers, will step up efforts to prevent prospective sub-Saharan African migrants from reaching Libya and will simplify visa and asylum procedures. Moreover, EU and African countries will hold a special summit this year, focusing on the challenges presented by the illegal migration from Africa to Europe.


Maia Sandu (Photo: presedinte.md)
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a new  4-year term in Sunday’s second round run-off, with over 55% of the votes cast in the...

Moldova stays on path to Europe
The head of the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), Toni Grebla
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Election campaigns in Romania

    The campaign for the general election in Romania started last week, at midnight on Thursday, and will end on 30 November. During this...

Election campaigns in Romania
November 1 - National Radio Day
Today in the News Friday, 01 November 2024

Radio Romania 96

Radio Romania has celebrated 96 years since it first entered the listeners houses from Romania and abroad. On November 1 1928 the Romanians were able...

Radio Romania 96
(Photo: pixabay@Engin_Akyurt)
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Romanians’ concerns

Romanians and Austrians are the most satisfied with their lives among the inhabitants of Central and Eastern Europe, but the former are significantly...

Romanians’ concerns
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Republic of Moldova, crucial final

On November 3, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova have to choose, for the position of head of state, between the pro-European Maia Sandu, the...

Republic of Moldova, crucial final
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Drones, a security issue

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense has placed under decisional transparency a bill that improves airspace security measures. The bill, which...

Drones, a security issue
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

The Fugitive Law is constitutional

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has rejected the referral of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) in relation to the so-called...

The Fugitive Law is constitutional
Today in the News Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Challenges of an ageing population

Romanians are getting fewer and older.   The population of Romania in mid-2024 was 21,779,000, down 1% compared to June 1, 2023. According to...

Challenges of an ageing population

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company