Is Romania prepared for an inflow of migrants?

The situation at Turkey's border with the EU has prompted European countries to prepare for any scenario.

Corina Cristea, 06.03.2020, 13:50

Romania is prepared, at the moment, for a possible inflow of migrants, Romanian Foreign Minister Marcel Vela said. He explained that the country can accommodate up to 1,300 migrants, with the possibility of extending the capacity to 2,700. According to Vela, in case of a big number of migrants reaching Romania, a set of measures will be enforced to deal with the situation while the Defense Ministry and the Red Cross can also supply the necessary things.

Marcel Vela: “In the event of a massive inflow of migrants, a document setting out measures for managing the situation will be implemented. These measures include securing the state border and setting up new accommodation centers and using technical capabilities supplied by the Defense Ministry and the Red Cross.”

The statement comes against the background of the European Union preparing for a new wave of migrants after Turkey decided to allow Syrian refugees to move forward to Europe. The killing of 33 Turkish military in an attack by the Syrian governmental forces in the north-west of the Idlib province prompted Turkish President Recep Erdogan to allow migrants continue advancing into Europe in spite of an accord signed in 2016 under which Ankara would receive 6 billion euros from the EU for programmes conducted by NGOs in favour of the 3.7 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. President Erdoan pressures the EU and NATO in order to get their support for Turkey’s military operations in Syria, news agencies report. “If European countries want to resolve the issue, they must support Turkey’s efforts for political and humanitarian solutions in Syria,” Erdogan said.

Meanwhile, Greece has announced it prevented around 10 thousand migrants from crossing its border with Turkey. Frontext, on the other hand, has launched a rapid intervention at the Greek sea borders in the Aegean. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell promised an additional 170 million euros in aid for vulnerable groups in Syria. At the same time, European Parliament chief Ursula von der Leyen announced a series of measures to support Greece, saying the situation is the responsibility of Europe as a whole.

(Translated by Elena Enache)