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BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- European lawmakers have urged for action ahead of a vote on Wednesday on a plan to relocate 40,000 refugees across the bloc. Also on Wednesday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is set to make his first annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament and put forward new quota plan. Although German Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed Juncker's proposals, the European parliament remains deeply divided on the solving of the crisis.
Still leading the compassionate charge Germany's leader now says her country could take half a million refugees a year.
Merkel said:"We welcome the propositions of jean-Calude Juncker, that he will put forward tomorrow, as in important first step. We will have an obligation to share out a certain number of refugees, but there is another step to be taken, and that is why we need an open quota system to share out those with a right to asylum."
While taking a tougher stance Denmark has placed adds in Lebanese newspapers detailing welfare cuts to refugees and tougher rules essentially warning asylum seekers not to come. Those stark divisions were laid bare at the European parliament on Tuesday, which debated an emergency plan to re-distribute 40,000 refugees across the bloc.
Diane James, British MEP from UK Independence Party said:"Potential terrorists, as we've already seen, can enter countries unhindered and unchecked and move around the continent as will be the case with this mechanism. This is a short-term, knee-jerk response to solving a problem with a quick fix."
"I am deeply ashamed that the British government is not willing to follow the German example in fact it seems to be aligning itself more with the Danish one in terms of as if creating poverty and destitution among those who are pushed to come here is something to be proud of," said Anna Lambert, British MEP from Green Party for England. The EU Commissioner for migration told the parliament the new measures would help frontline E.U. countries. Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Migration said:"The aim of these measures are two-fold: relieve the pressure on Italy and Greece and ensure the dignified treatment of the persons concerned".
The European Commission president Jean Claude Junker will use his annual state of the union address at the European Parliament on Wednesday to fully spell out the EU executive arms new migration policy, which is expected to push member states to accept much higher numbers of refugees that most have been willing to take".
The officials say the Commission may also seek to make new rules mandatory if it can secure the backing of a strong majority of member states. A previous attempt to create mandatory rules on refugee resettlement was rejected after requiring a unanimous vote. Some countries including Poland and Hungary have promised to vote against new mandatory resettlement rules for refugees, seeking instead much tougher border controls.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
