Alfred Sant asks EC which EU countries will voluntarily resettle syrian migrants

Maltese MEP Alfred Sant has asked the European Commission whether it intends to present detailed guidelines on the resettlement of Syrians under the 1:1 scheme which has commenced in the beginning of April. Dr. Sant also asked the Commission whether it has further information on how many and which EU countries will be ready to voluntarily resettle Syrians via the ‘1-for-1’ scheme. The Maltese MEP further asked the Commission how many Syrians are expected to be resettled from Turkey to the EU through the ‘1-for-1’ scheme and whether the number of 72.000 is enough.

Dr. Sant said one of the major elements of the EU-Turkey agreement, is directly linked to the return of ‘irregular migrants’ and foresees that for every Syrian returned to Turkey from Greek islands, another Syrian will be resettled from Turkey to the EU. The Commission, EU agencies, member states and the UNHCR will assist in establishing this 1-for-1 scheme. The final deal reached on Friday 18 March to return all migrants, including asylum seekers, reaching Greece illegally to Turkey, which came into force this Sunday 20 March, is still leaving several legal and practical questions open, Dr. Sant told the Commission.

English Version – Alfred Sant jistaqsi liema pajjiżi tal-UE se jieħdu immigranti sirjani

Il-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew Alfred Sant staqsa lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea hux se tħabbar linji gwida dettaljati dwar l-iskema tar-rilokazzjoni tas-Sirjani li bdiet fil-bidu ta’ April. Dr Sant staqsa wkoll lill-Kummissjoni għandhiex informazzjoni dwar kemm u liema pajjiżi Ewropej huma lesti li volontarjament jieħdu Sirjani fl-iskema ‘1 għal kull 1’. L-Ewroparlamentari staqsa wkoll kemm hemm ħsieb li jkunu allokati Sirjani fl-UE mit-Turkija permezz ta’ din l-iskema ‘1 għal kull 1’ u jekk in-numru ta’ 72, 000 hux se jkun biżżejjed.

Dr Sant qal li l-elementi ewlenin tal-ftehim bejn l-UE u t-Turkija jimxi direttament mar-ritorn tal-‘immigranti irregolari’ u jagħmilha ċara li għal kull Sirjan mibgħut lit-Turkija mill-gżejjer Griegi, Sirjan ieħor ikun allokat mit-Turkija fl-UE. Il-Kummissjoni, l-aġenziji tal-UE, l-istati membri u l-UNHCR se jassistu f’din l-iskema ta’ ‘1 għal kull 1’. L-aħħar ftehim li ntlaħaq fit-18 ta’ Marzu jisħaq dwar ir-ritorn tal-immigranti kollha, anki ta’ dawk li qed jitolbu l-ażil, li qed jaslu l-Greċja mit-Turkija b’mod illegali. Dan il-ftehim beda jiġi attwat mill-Ħadd 20 ta’ Marzu, iżda għadu jqanqal mistoqsijiet legali u prattiċi, qal Dr Sant lil Kummissjoni.