International

However proud Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte may be of the deal on the refugee crisis concluded with Turkey, the UN and NGOs such as Amnesty International have grave doubts regarding the deal’s legitimacy. Sending refugees back to a country where asylum procedures are not in good order is indeed in conflict with the UN’s refugee convention, as well as the European Convention of Human Rights. For these reasons I am supporting the initiative from a Spanish United Left Group MEP to request a decision from the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Foto: Fabio Sola Penna

Everyone who has seen pictures of the boat refugees insists that something had to be done. The SP put a plan to Commissioner Timmermans based on establishing European asylum centres from which refugees could be placed in other member states while those who don’t qualify for consideration for asylum can be sent back either to the country from which they arrived, or to their country of origin. Only when reception facilities in the region are in good order can there be discussions of a possible exchange, but then only under the aegis of the UN and only if the goal is ensuring the reception and safety of the most vulnerable groups.

As things stand there is for most Syrian refugees no possibility of a humane reception, including in Turkey. For non-Syrian refugees remaining in Turkey nothing is settled in the deal, other than the fact that they too will be returned to Turkey should they have arrived in Greece via that country. Resettling of Syrian refugees remaining in Turkey can only work if the member states are prepared to cooperate fully, which is currently far from being the case. The relocation of fortunate asylum seekers now being accommodated in Greece and Italy has still hardly begun. For the ‘hot-spots’ in Greece the member states are still sending far too few personnel. That led this weekend to a call for help from the Greek government.

The deal really turned things on their heads. Nothing had been done to meet the basic requirements and yet people were being deported to Turkey. At the same time the deal put Erdogan in such a position of power that he thinks he can not only thumb his nose at human rights in his own country, but is now also trying to get Merkel to stop German comedians making fun of him in hers. The alternative, a conference under the aegis of the UN of all of the countries involved, has not been properly considered. If the EU is to take human rights seriously, priority must now be given to the creation of decent reception facilities in the region, and to support for proper relocation and establishment within the EU. If these conditions are not met, then in my view the deal is illegal. Going to the ECJ will also work as a sort of brake, and I hope that the European Parliament will give us its support. If not, no one in the EP will be able any longer to come out with the notion of ‘European values’’.