“It is time to shift gears and start delivering on all fronts”, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told reporters Monday after the ministers met in Brussels.
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Those centres, possibly staffed by European Union personnel, could conduct the registrations and identification that should have been carried out in Greece – including fingerprinting – as well an initial screening to determine whether people were likely to qualify for asylum or should be deported from Europe.
Asselborn noted that the numbers of migrants arriving on Greek islands, averaging more than 5,000 a day, was more than Athens could cope with, prompting the proposal for further facilities along the transit route from Greece through the Balkans.
More than 3,000 people have drowned among the almost 800,000 who have reached Europe this year.
But the resources have been painfully slow in coming.
“We can not let people die from the cold in the Balkans”, he added.
“They have to be stopped on the outer border”, he said, explaining why Hungary was sending 50 police officers to Slovenia, to the towns of Maribor and Murska Sobota, to help manage the inflow of asylum-seekers, maintain order and prevent crime. Nearly three weeks later, less than half has been pledged.
“We need to see more relocations from Greece and Italy as a matter of urgency”, said Mr Avramopoulos.
Asselborn said the ministers had discussed setting up “processing centers” in the Balkans, where people could be registered and given information as they travel further north. But they would also have to accept to have their fingerprints taken, which a few migrants are refusing to do.
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“Solidarity can’t work if we are not determined enough to implement the measures that we have already agreed”, he said.
