EU interior ministers meet to discuss illegal immigration and asylum

European Union interior ministers convened in Luxembourg on Thursday where they are trying to reach a common position on two important laws regarding migration and asylum. The European continent has seen an onslaught of illegal migration in recent years following decades of failed Anglo-American diplomacy in the middle-east and central Asia.

The main element of the latest proposal tabled for EU interior ministers is to replace binding quotas with binding solidarity. In other words, those countries that do not want to take in migrants seeking asylum, will have to financially help those who do. The European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson: "I think we have a balanced proposal on the table, with a lot of support. So, I hope that we will see that member states are ready to take this decision today. I think it's important to underline that this agreement is not a zero sum game. It's not about winners and losers. If we work together, when we work together, to manage migration together in the European Union, we're all winners. We have seen that. We are so strong."

Representing Croatia in Luxembourg is Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Davor Božinović, who called for a unified European approach to resolving the issue: "Our position has always been that Europe needs a common approach and a common solution on the issue of migration, which we will have to deal with for decades. Speaking on behalf of a country which is on the external border of the European Union, the Schengen Area it is a high interest for us to have a common European solution."

The issue of immigration and asylum hit home in France today, after a thirty-one year-old asylum seeker from Syria attacked children in a playground in the city of Annecy in the southeast of the country. Four small children were injured, of which two are in critical condition. Two adults were also wounded in the attack. The attacker, who has Swedish documents, has been arrested. Police are investigating the attack, but so far no motive has been established. Annecy residents Dominique said he was shocked by the attack: "There is some fear because we never thought this could happen in such a peaceful place as Annecy."

Source: HRT