“Currently, the temporary border measures can be taken only for a limited period of six months”.
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The EU persuaded Pakistan in November to restore a suspended agreement to facilitate the return of Pakistani illegal immigrants without documentation.
Athens reacted with fury to the proposal, put forward by Miro Cerar, the Slovenian prime minister, and endorsed by Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, to turn the country into what Greek ministers said was a “cemetery of souls”.
At least 43 people, including 17 children, drowned when their boats capsized off two Greek islands near the Turkish coast last week, marking one of the deadliest sinkings for migrants risking the precarious route to Europe from Turkey.
Kos and other Greek islands lie just a few kilometers from the Turkish coast, making them attractive destinations for refugees seeking to enter the EU.
The influx of migrant people entering the zone has been apparently monitored by the European Union and has since alleged Greece of passing over basic protocols, especially in the process of checking their documents, properly registering those who arrive at the border as well as fingerprinting. Greece would then have three months to implement those steps.
A German court official says a Moroccan and a Tunisian have been charged over a theft on New Year’s Eve in Cologne, the first indictments related to assaults blamed largely on foreigners that caused public uproar.
The member states are required to inform the commission, which reviews whether they meet the criteria for reintroducing controls.
Otherwise, border checks to limit the movement of migrants within Europe may be instituted.
Greece is not the only country under fire over its handling of the migrant crisis, with Denmark facing criticism Wednesday after its lawmakers passed a bill allowing authorities to seize valuables from refugees.
Elsewhere, such as between Germany and Denmark, Austria and Germany, Slovenia and Austria, people still flow freely, although police do spot-checks looking for migrants and smugglers and stop random travellers. But she said the number of refugees had to be reduced significantly. Some 2.6?million people are expected to try to reach Europe in the next two years, with 30,000 arriving this month. And the timing is crucial.
The temporary border controls which countries like Germany have in place will be due to expire.
To prolong the controls, governments will need an official assessment by the European Commission that Greece is still failing.
Athens “is seriously neglecting its obligations and there are serious deficiencies in the carrying out of external border controls that must be overcome and dealt with by the Greek authorities”, according to a Schengen Evaluation draft report, which was discussed by the Commission on Wednesday.
Northern countries suspect Greece has simply waved through migrants, in a violation of European Union asylum rules, in order to prevent becoming a vast refugee camp.
An extension of border controls has further sparked concerns that Greece – the landing point for around 80 percent of all migrants arriving in Europe – could be effectively frozen out of Schengen.
“There is great fear (in Europe) and it leads to divisive and unilateral moves by nations”, Yannis Mouzalas, Greece’s junior migration minister, told Skai TV this week.
“It’s not easy to trap [asylum seekers] and we do not intend to become a cemetery of souls”, Mr Mouzalas told the Financial Times (behind paywall).
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“The Greeks must suffer the consequences”, said Belgian secretary of state for asylum and migration, Theo Francken.
