Criticism of going it alone

Press comments on asylum policy: “Needs more speed”

The new Italian refugee center in Albania

(Bild: ADNAN BECI / AFP / picturedesk.com)

Italy has brought the first migrants to a reception center in non-EU country Albania, Poland wants to temporarily suspend the right to asylum. Germany is planning a new package to make it easier to deport criminals. Some in the international press are warning against going it alone: many are calling for an EU-wide solution.

"Neue Zürcher Zeitung" calls for more speed and determination
"Even those nations that lead the way in their moral self-assurance, such as Sweden, the Netherlands and now gradually Germany, must recognize that they are being overwhelmed by the demands placed on them by the integration of hundreds of thousands of immigrants from far-flung religious, social, cultural and educational contexts. (...)

Much more speed and determination is needed so that migrants without grounds for asylum - the majority of those arriving - can be effectively deterred from traveling or deported to their countries of origin. The latter only happens in 20 percent of cases across Europe.

The stakes are high. If European asylum policy continues at such a leisurely and contradictory pace, the entire right to asylum will ultimately be up for discussion. Because at some point, the population will no longer be prepared to differentiate between legitimate asylum seekers in need and irregular immigrants who are simply hoping for a better life in Europe. They will turn against all irregular immigrants. Those who want to save the humanitarian tradition of the right of asylum must act decisively now."

Donald Tusk is not only responding to pressure from Russia with his migration strategy, but also wants to win votes.

(Bild: APA/AFP )

"de Volkskrant": Tusk wants to reduce migration before the election
"Poland's concerns are understandable. The country is affected by hybrid warfare: Russia and Belarus are letting migrants through to the Polish border - in the hope of destabilizing Poland and the European Union in this way. Poland is being attacked in this way by a country that is using numerous means to break European resistance to its war of aggression in Ukraine. (...)

However, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's plan does not seem to stem solely from genuine concern about Russia's hybrid warfare, but also from a desire to drastically reduce migration in the run-up to next year's presidential elections. (...)

A stricter migration policy is only possible in a European context and with respect for the rule of law. Otherwise, there is a risk of a situation in which member states outdo each other with tough measures - in the hope of being able to push migrants to other countries. That would be disastrous for the rule of law and for the migrants, but also for mutual trust within the European Union."

A look inside the residential containers in the Italian asylum centers in Albania: they are not suitable for longer stays

(Bild: Alketa Misja / dpa / picturedesk.com)

"De Standaard": Debate in Italy far from over
"Italy is not handing over the asylum procedures. The great advantage of such a third country - at least on paper - is that asylum seekers are not accommodated on Italian territory. This only happens when an application is approved. What is less clear is what happens if an asylum application is rejected. In principle, those affected would then have to be sent back to their country of origin. But what happens if this country refuses to cooperate? Nobody knows.

The legal debate about the system also appears to be far from over. At first glance, it clashes with all kinds of international conventions and the values that Europe claims to uphold. It also remains unclear whether many countries will be prepared to open up their territory to such procedures, even if there are financial incentives to do so. Fundamentally, the question arises as to whether such return centers are not old wine in new bottles. Years ago, some in Europe were already dreaming of "regional deportation platforms" in North Africa. But due to a lack of interest in these countries, such projects have not yet materialized."

"ABC" (Madrid) calls for a solution from Brussels
"What years ago looked like initiatives that ran counter to the European spirit of hospitality are now finding their way into the political discourse in Europe. Germany has introduced border controls, effectively suspending the Schengen area, and Poland is planning to restrict the right to asylum in order to curb immigration encouraged by Russia and Belarus. In short, there is a general perception that Europe can no longer respond to the problem of illegal immigration with the same patterns as in previous decades because they are no longer effective in ensuring orderly migration - and because they lead to unilateral action by Member States. (...)

Brussels' approach to illegal immigration needs to be urgently updated, but without haste. (...) The praise of multiculturalism and diversity that immigration brings has been used to weaken the cohesion of European societies and reduce the political identification of immigrants with the values of equality and freedom that are little appreciated in some of their cultures of origin."