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Refugee crisis: latest news from across Europe (25.10.16) (1)

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25 October 2016

EU: Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA): Monthly data collection: October 2016: Report covers period 1-30 September 2016 (link) and Monthly data (link)

 

Commission recommends extending temporary internal border controls for a limited period of three months (Press release, pdf):

"The European Commission has today proposed a Recommendation, to be adopted by the Council, to prolong proportionate controls at certain internal Schengen borders in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, where controls already take place – according to the Council Recommendation of 12 May – for a period of a further three months. Despite the progressive stabilisation of the situation, the Commission considers that the conditions of the "Back to Schengen" Roadmap allowing for a return to a normally functioning Schengen area are not yet fully fulfilled....

The prolongation, which the Commission is recommending for a further period of three months, concerns the same internal borders as that recommended on 12 May:

- Austria: at the Austrian-Hungarian and Austrian-Slovenian land border;
- Germany: at the German-Austrian land border;
- Denmark: in Danish ports with ferry connections to Germany and at the Danish-German land border;
- Sweden: in Swedish harbours in the Police Region South and West and at the Öresund bridge;
- Norway: in Norwegian ports with ferry connections to Denmark, Germany and Sweden."

See also: Commission Implementing Decision setting out a Recommendation for prolonging temporary internal border control in exceptional circumstances putting the overall functioning of the Schengen area at risk (COM 711-16, pdf)

Are You Syrious (24.10.16, link):

Portugal wants to relocate 450 Yazidis, Greek administration says its discrimination

"On the other side of Europe, Portuguese government has been pressuring Greece for the last 6 months to give home to 450 Yazidis. Portugal is also willing to make the exception to the relocation rule and keep the community together instead of spreading it around 70 counties like with the rest of the refugees. Greek government and its defense vice minister Dimitrios Vitsas, do not agree with such request , they consider it discriminatory and against the European rules for relocation, since they priorities vulnerable cases?—?which Euro parliamentary, Ana Gomes, considers outrageous due to the proven vulnerability of this community. In this process families must elect Portugal as their preferred country in their asylum application, there were a few that already applied, but many are reluctant because they have family members in Germany."

Greece

"There was 92 new arrivals at Greek island in the last 24 hours. As for the numbers game situation remains pretty much the same, but, or precisely because of that fact the fire broke out in the Moria center on Lesvos where over 6000 people wait for months to have their claim processed."

Slovenia Constructs Fence on Two Major Border Crossings with Croatia (Total Croatic News, link):

"On the largest border crossing with Croatia, Bregana-Obrežje, Slovenia has started installing metal fencing, and yesterday it did the same on the other major border crossing Macelj-Gruškovje. The reason is possible reactivation on the so-called Balkan migrant route, reports Index.hr on October 22, 2016.

Slovenian news agency STA quoted a statement by state secretary at the Slovenian Ministry of Interior Andrej Špenge. “If there is a new migrant wave, the border crossings will be closed”, said Špenge."

Refugees attack EU asylum offices on Lesvos (euractiv, link):

"Asylum-seekers attacked the premises of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) on the island of Lesbos on Monday (24 October), protesting against delays in dealing with asylum claims, Greek and EU authorities said.."

New deaths put Italy on track for sombre migrant records (euractiv, link):

"Italy’s coastguard said yesterday (24 October) that another 16 people had died during operations in which 2,200 migrants were rescued off Libya, propelling both deaths at sea and the numbers arriving in Italy towards new highs."

In Europe, Afghan Refugees Anticipate Deportation (BNA, link):

"Kabul (BNA) Mirwais, an Afghan asylum seeker has been in the country for four years. He is now one of many there, living in fear of being deported. "If the authorities deport me, my life is over ... The center of my life is here," said the 32-year-old Kabul native, who speaks German well and has been working as an interpreter in Austria. One of Austria’s anti-migration ads in Afghanistan, which warns ‘Human smugglers lie’ and ‘Refugee law in Austria will get tougher yet’. "

UNHCR: Migration control is not only about keeping people out – UN experts call for vision and leadership (link):

"Migration governance cannot be only about closing borders and keeping people out, said two United Nations human rights experts calling on UN member states to develop long-term strategies and policies to facilitate rather than restrict migration.

“A fundamental shift in the way migration is perceived and framed is needed,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, François Crépeau, and the Chair of the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, Jose S. Brillantes. “We must regulate mobility by opening regular, safe, accessible and affordable migration channels. We must also promote integration and celebrate diversity.”"

See: Special Rapporteur’s report on developing the global compact on migration (link)

Lesvos, Greece: Moria camp damaged in riots as rumors fly (ekathimerini.com, link):

"Migrants on Monday attacked the premises of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) inside the Moria hot spot on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, completely destroying four container office units and damaging another two during a protest that was contained by riot police....

Pressure on Greece’s eastern Aegean islands continues to mount as migrants and asylum seekers continue to cross the sea from neighboring Turkey. A total of 370 arrivals were recorded in the past three days, raising the official number of those stranded on the islands to 15,635....

In a related development, Samos Mayor Michalis Angelopoulos on Monday sent a letter to Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas protesting the government’s failure to meet pledges to cut migrant numbers on the island. “[Migrant] flows have intensified and departures are moving at a very slow pace,” he said, adding that problems were escalating. Angelopoulos said 665 individuals had arrived on Samos in the past two weeks, while only 128 had left."

North Lesvos, Greece: Eric Kempson: Stranded On A Reef! (3 linked video,s link): "Well done to all the teams and locals who helped in this rescue it was truly international help, amazing!!"

Italy: Anti-refugee demo continues near Ferrara - 11 women resettled after Gorino residents erect barricades (ANSA, link);

"Eleven female refugees, including a pregnant woman, on Tuesday were temporarily relocated to the northern city of Ferrara and the towns of Comacchio and Fiscaglia after protesters the previous night erected barricades around the nearby town of Gorino where a hostel was originally designated to host them.

The decision to host the women in different locations was taken by local authorities after mediation talks between the Mayor of Ferrara Tiziano Tagliani, police and the demonstrators.

Protesters last night erected barricades in three different points of entry to Gorino, a town on the Po Delta where the hostel Amore-Natura had been designated to host the asylum seekers."