Sanchez rejects criticism of Spain’s migration coverage: ‘Phrases don’t match actuality’
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday rejected criticism from a number of European leaders over Spain’s migration coverage and defended his authorities’s strategy to tackling irregular immigration and managing migration flows.
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“If you take a look at the information, on the figures – which is form of at all times what occurs with the far proper – it is like night time and day,” he stated in Brussels, the place he’s attending the European Council summit. “What is being stated has nothing to do with actuality (…) one factor is the blah, blah, blah and one other is actuality.”
Sanchez was responding to feedback by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, who’ve questioned the Spanish authorities’s migration insurance policies, particularly its extraordinary regularisation plan for migrants.
Sanchez drew a distinction between his disagreements with the Danish prime minister and the Czech chief’s criticism, which he likened to far-right rhetoric.
“With the Danish prime minister we now have disagreements, however certainly, it has nothing to do with what the prime minister of the Czech Republic stated, which, by the best way, sounds very very similar to what the far-right Vox says in Spain,” he stated.
Babis had accused some European leaders of being prepared to “exchange the inhabitants” to remain in energy and warned that his nation may tighten border controls to forestall migrants from arriving from different EU nations.
Stocker, in the meantime, described Spain’s regularisation plan as a “unhealthy sign”, arguing that it may have penalties for the EU as an entire. Frederiksen has referred to as on the European Commission to look at the implications of Spain’s measures.
Sanchez factors to Spain’s file
In response to the criticism, Sanchez argued that Spain is making progress in controlling irregular arrivals and cooperating with nations of origin and transit.
“The migration and asylum pact that we secured underneath the Spanish presidency is working,” he stated, including that Spain is “a mannequin pupil” within the struggle in opposition to irregular immigration.
The prime minister cited interceptions within the Atlantic, returns and refusals of entry at airports as examples of Spain’s migration coverage. He additionally rejected claims that Spain is a part of routes used for secondary actions of migrants inside the European Union.
“The actuality, the information present that Spain is pursuing a really accountable coverage within the struggle in opposition to irregular migration, in managing common migration flows and in cooperation with transit and origin nations,” he stated.
Sanchez additionally pressured the significance of sustaining a progressive authorities in Spain, arguing that “as a result of Europe certainly wants a distinction of opinions and political positions”, and urged his European companions to proceed implementing the migration and asylum pact.
Von der Leyen requires stronger exterior borders
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pressured the necessity to transfer ahead with implementing the EU migration and asylum pact and strengthening cooperation between member states. She famous that irregular crossings of the EU’s borders have fallen by greater than 56% over the previous two years.
Von der Leyen outlined three priorities for EU migration coverage: absolutely implementing the migration and asylum pact, strengthening the administration and safety of exterior borders, and bettering preparedness for potential border crises.
She additionally introduced that the Commission will propose strengthening Frontex, the EU’s border company, to broaden its capability to help member states when wanted. She pressured that accountability and solidarity should go hand in hand, whereas acknowledging that extra work stays to be completed.
“To succeed, it’s essential to proceed performing collectively,” von der Leyen stated, as European leaders remained divided over how you can handle migration and deal with irregular arrivals.
Some nations push for adjustments to summit conclusions
Denmark, Poland and Italy pushed for adjustments to the summit conclusions, together with an oblique reference to Spain’s plan to regularise the standing of 600,000 undocumented migrants. Spain and France opposed the proposed adjustments.
A revised draft seen by Euronews urged member states to keep away from “measures that will create incentives for unlawful migration”. However, the broader wording was finally rejected in favour of a shorter, much less forceful model.
The draft additionally referred to as on the European Commission to strengthen coordination between nationwide migration insurance policies that might have an effect on different member states. The proposal, collectively backed by the three nations, was seen as an implicit criticism of Spain’s left-wing authorities.
Macron backs Spain
French President Emmanuel Macron stated after the summit that “ideological divisions” between EU member states over migration have been making them “ineffective”, whereas expressing support for Spain over the Ceuta crisis.
“We have had a nasty debate,” Macron stated. “My evaluation is that after we politicise this debate on the desk, we create divisions. And after we are divided and fall again on nationwide options, we turn out to be ineffective,” he added.
Macron described the Ceuta disaster as a “humanitarian tragedy” and famous that France had not signed the letter despatched to Brussels by 22 EU nations.
“Spain was the goal of a hybrid assault,” he stated, including: “There was no want to attend till immediately to know who attacked Spain simply after what occurred in Ceuta.”
