Urgent EU meeting on migrant crisis sought

AFP, PARIS: Germany, France and Britain made a joint call yesterday for an urgent meeting of EU interior and justice ministers to find concrete measures to cope with the escalating migration crisis.
The interior ministers of the three countries “have asked the Luxembourg presidency to organise a special meeting of justice and interior ministers within the next two weeks, so as to find concrete steps” on the crisis, they said in a statement.
The call came after Germany’s Thomas de Maiziere, Britain’s Theresa May and France’s Bernard Cazeneuve spoke Saturday on the sidelines of a meeting in Paris on transport security.
The trio “underlined the necessity to take immediate action to deal with the challenge from the migrant influx”.
They also called for reception centres to be set up urgently in Italy and Greece in order to register new arrivals, and for a common EU list of “safe countries of origin” to be established.
Berlin, which is expecting to receive 800,000 asylum-seekers this year, has been pushing for such a list, arguing that it would free up resources to help those fleeing war and persecution.
The number of migrants reaching the EU’s borders reached nearly 340,000 during the first seven months of the year, up from 123,500 during the same period in 2014, according to the bloc’s border agency Frontex.
Another reports from Berlin adds: Germany may have witnessed violent anti-refugee protests this week—but the message from the country’s media and celebrities is a loud and determined welcome for people fleeing the horrors of war.
“We’re helping,” Germany’s Bild newspaper splashed in large letters on its front page on Saturday.
The tabloid, which has launched a high-profile charity campaign to assist refugees, added: “The whingers and the xenophobes don’t speak in our name.”
Germany is expecting an unprecedented 800,000 asylum-seekers this year as Europe grapples with its biggest migration crisis since World War II.
While many believe that Germany’s wealth—combined with the dark legacy of its Nazi past—mean it has a unique responsibility to provide safe haven to the persecuted, not everyone has been happy to see refugee centres springing up across the country. Far-right protesters have targeted migrants and their accommodation with arson attacks, violent demonstrations and assaults—particularly in the former communist east, which still lags behind the west in terms of jobs and opportunities a quarter-century after reunification.
The eastern town of Heidenau has become a symbol of Germany’s struggle to absorb the huge wave of arrivals, with dozens injured in clashes last weekend between police and extreme-right activists opposed to a new local refugee centre.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, visiting the centre this week, was booed by a crowd who called her a traitor. In the media, though, many outlets have added their voices to Bild’s in calling for refugees to be welcomed.
The news magazine Der Spiegel ran two different covers this week: the first, titled “Dark Germany”, showing a refugee centre in flames; the second, titled “Bright Germany” bearing a message of hope, with migrant children releasing balloons into the sky.
“It’s up to us to decide how we’re going to live. We have the choice,” the magazine said.
In Munich, the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper offered its readers a practical guide for how to donate clothes and food to the new arrivals. A slew of celebrities, too, have come out to show support for people seeking new lives in Germany.
“Dear refugees, it’s good that you’re here,” German Real Madrid player Toni Kroos said in comments reported by the press, “because it allows us to test our values and show respect to others.”
The actor Til Schweiger is among the most prominent pro-migrant voices in German showbiz, while rock singer Udo Lindenberg is hoping to organise a major Berlin concert against anti-migrant hate, slated for October 4.

Urgent EU meeting on migrant crisis sought

AFP, PARIS: Germany, France and Britain made a joint call yesterday for an urgent meeting of EU interior and justice ministers to find concrete measures to cope with the escalating migration crisis. The interior ministers of the three countries have asked the Luxembourg presidency to organise a special meeting of justice and interior ministers within the next two weeks, so as to find concrete steps on the crisis, they said in a statement. The call came after Germanys Thomas de Maiziere, Britains Theresa May and Frances Bernard Cazeneuve spoke Saturday on the sidelines of a meeting in Paris on transport security. The trio underlined the necessity to take immediate action to deal with the challenge from the migrant influx. They also called for reception centres to be set up urgently in Italy and Greece in order to register new arrivals, and for a common EU list of safe countries of origin to be established. Berlin, which is expecting to receive 800,000 asylum-seekers this year, has been pushing for such a list, arguing that it would free up resources to help those fleeing war and persecution. The number of migrants reaching the EUs borders reached nearly 340,000 during the first seven months of the year, up from 123,500 during the same period in 2014, according to the blocs border agency Frontex. Another reports from Berlin adds: Germany may have witnessed violent anti-refugee protests this weekbut the message from the countrys media and celebrities is a loud and determined welcome for people fleeing the horrors of war. Were helping, Germanys Bild newspaper splashed in large letters on its front page on Saturday. The tabloid, which has launched a high-profile charity campaign to assist refugees, added: The whingers and the xenophobes dont speak in our name. Germany is expecting an unprecedented 800,000 asylum-seekers this year as Europe grapples with its biggest migration crisis since World War II. While many believe that Germanys wealthcombined with the dark legacy of its Nazi pastmean it has a unique responsibility to provide safe haven to the persecuted, not everyone has been happy to see refugee centres springing up across the country. Far-right protesters have targeted migrants and their accommodation with arson attacks, violent demonstrations and assaultsparticularly in the former communist east, which still lags behind the west in terms of jobs and opportunities a quarter-century after reunification. The eastern town of Heidenau has become a symbol of Germanys struggle to absorb the huge wave of arrivals, with dozens injured in clashes last weekend between police and extreme-right activists opposed to a new local refugee centre. Chancellor Angela Merkel, visiting the centre this week, was booed by a crowd who called her a traitor. In the media, though, many outlets have added their voices to Bilds in calling for refugees to be welcomed. The news magazine Der Spiegel ran two different covers this week: the first, titled Dark Germany, showing a refugee centre in flames; the second, titled Bright Germany bearing a message of hope, with migrant children releasing balloons into the sky. Its up to us to decide how were going to live. We have the choice, the magazine said. In Munich, the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper offered its readers a practical guide for how to donate clothes and food to the new arrivals. A slew of celebrities, too, have come out to show support for people seeking new lives in Germany. Dear refugees, its good that youre here, German Real Madrid player Toni Kroos said in comments reported by the press, because it allows us to test our values and show respect to others. The actor Til Schweiger is among the most prominent pro-migrant voices in German showbiz, while rock singer Udo Lindenberg is hoping to organise a major Berlin concert against anti-migrant hate, slated for October 4.