OPINION
Poland: Seal EU borders
By GRZEGORZ SCHETYNA 9/21/15, 1:01 AM CET http://www.politico.eu/article/sel-eu-borders-poland-migration-refugees/
For the last few weeks, Europe has quarreled and quibbled
about how to divide up 120,000 refugees among EU member countries. While we
talk, the wave of refugees continues to grow and grow. Instead we should be
jumping into action with a broad plan that tackles the causes of the exodus as
well as the symptoms. And we need to strike the right balance between helping
those in need and guaranteeing the security of our citizens.
UNHCR statistics show that almost half a million refugees
have come to Europe since the start of this year — and their numbers are
increasing every day. We see this on our television screens, on the front pages
of newspapers. Every country directly affected by the problem is doing what it
can to face up to the challenge, but the scale is too large for any one country
to tackle alone. The dilemma will only get worse if Europe does not talk with
one voice. It must take decisive action based on the spirit of solidarity but
also take responsibility for the security of its citizens.
Poland is by no means opposed to taking in refugees. In
July, before the migration crisis had reached the desperate levels we see
today, Poland announced that it would voluntarily give shelter to 2,000
refugees from Syria and Eritrea. Over the past 20 years, almost 90,000 Chechen
refugees have come to Poland, as it was the first safe country they reached. We
took them in, we showed solidarity, because Poles know what it is like to need
help from abroad at times of need. We experienced this first hand during times
of war and repression in our country. That too is why we are helping hundreds
of thousands of migrants from Ukraine, who have come to our country not only to
escape conflict but also in search of a better and more stable life. We will
continue to demonstrate this solidarity in the future towards those who need it
the most, depending on how the situation develops. In this light, we regard the
quota system proposed by the European Commission as a half-measure and one that
does not fully address the problem.
The first priority must be to seal EU borders. Only by doing
so will we be able to avoid further chaos and brutal skirmishes on the
frontiers. Even countries that have until recently expressed a very open
attitude towards taking in refugees now realize they have been overwhelmed by
the magnitude of the problem. That is why we must become better and more
effective in working with our EU neighbors. We must make sure that extradition
agreements are enforced. Thorough border controls have to be implemented. This
will require our assistance. We need to strengthen the infrastructure of the EU
border states.
Without further ado we must invest in reception centers for
refugees, where they would be identified and, based on their country of origin,
assessed as to whether they are in fact refugees or economic migrants. Creating
an EU list of safe countries, with proper criteria, would help us in this
endeavor.
European Commission President Jean Claude-Juncker included
many of these suggestions in his recent State of the Union address. But we need
to act more effectively, and faster. Frontex, the Warsaw-based EU border
control agency, must be strengthened so it can play a bigger role where it is
most needed.
Another priority area is helping bolster stability in the
countries from which the refugees are coming. It is not enough to provide
humanitarian and development aid, we must also play a more active role in
helping defuse conflicts, in particular in Syria and Libya. This is an
important task for EU Council President Donald Tusk and EU High Representative
Federica Mogherini.
Since the onset of terrorist activity by the Islamic State
and the conflict in Ukraine, there has been talk about the “arc of instability”
on Europe’s south-east borders. This instability, fueled by the uncontrolled
exodus of refugees, has now caught us by surprise. We must correct this mistake
as fast as possible. Failure to do this will lead to dangerously unpredictable
consequences. Unless checked, the crisis is likely to have an impact on our
politics, our economies, our societies as a whole. Every EU country has within
it, to a greater or lesser extent, vocal elements that play on populism,
antagonism and social phobias. Failing to make bold decisions today will open
the door to their electoral success tomorrow.
A few days ago, my German counterpart, Frank-Walter
Steinmeier, said that Poland and Germany need to work together in helping shape
EU migration policy. Apart from the size and potential of our countries, there
are many reasons why this is a good idea. Over the last decades, our countries
have shown in an exemplary manner how hostile neighbors can reconcile, becoming
friends and important partners. We cannot allow the refugee crisis to divide
and antagonize Europe. That is why we view the challenge put before us not in
terms of compulsory quotas, which are probably outdated and insufficient by
now, but in terms of solidarity. Above all, we must take quick and decisive
action to find realistic ways to resolve this crisis.
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