Migrants: Ursula von der Leyen wants "no barbed wire or wall" at EU borders
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during the European summit in Brussels, October 22, 2021. AP - Olivier Matthys
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Europe will not finance barbed wire or walls at its borders: declaration this Friday in Brussels of Ursula von der Leyen at the end of a European summit devoted in part to migratory pressure.
The President of the European Commission was responding to the growing number of countries in Europe, which are calling for EU support to erect a physical barrier at their borders with Belarus.
For several months the country led by Alexander Lukashenko has been accused of organizing to orchestrate an influx of migrants at European borders, to put pressure on the EU.
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“
We are very worried about the situation at the borders with Belarus.
Ursula von der Leyen does not hide her concern at the pressure exerted by Belarus at the borders.
And it accuses its president Alexander Lukashenko of exercising unacceptable blackmail against European countries.
"
We consider the behavior of the Belarusian government as a hybrid attack,
denounces the president of the European Commission.
Human lives must not be used for political ends.
It is an instrumentalisation of migration in order to put pressure on Europe.
"
Faced with the influx of migrants transported by air to Minsk, then transported to European borders, several EU members are asking Brussels to finance the construction of fences.
Ursula von der Leyen's response is clear: agree to help these countries, but without going as far as buying barbed wire.
►
To read also: Migrants: the German city of Eisenhüttenstadt, on the border with Poland, on the front line
"The
only effective measure of border protection
"
"
The question of infrastructure has been discussed,"
recalls Ursula von der Leyen, "
and I was very clear on one point: there is a long-standing common position of the Commission and the European Parliament on the fact that it does not there would be no funding for barbed wire and walls.
"
The question divides European countries.
Poland and Lithuania, which have started laying barbed wire at their borders, have received support from ten other countries in Europe.
In a joint letter to the Commission, the Interior Ministers of 12 EU Member States thus defend the principle of a “
physical barrier, the only effective measure of border protection
”.
A measure which in their eyes "
serves the interests of all European countries, not just those on the front line
".
►
To read also: Wall Poland-Belarus: "A decision which goes towards the will of a continent without asylum"
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European Union
Ursula von der Leyen
International Migration
Belarus