On Wednesday evening 19 January in Strasbourg, MEPs said that the situation for thousands of refugees and migrants crammed into camps without heating in an extremely cold snap engulfing Europe, particularly Greece, was bringing shame on Europe and they urged the EU to rectify this situation as soon as possible, in order to save lives. They all called for an increase in emergency aid and for the refugees and migrants suffering from these extreme weather conditions to be transferred to appropriately equipped camps that are able to deal with the winter weather.
MEPs expressed these views during the debate with representatives from the Council and Commission on emergency assistance for refugees and migrants confronting the severe weather conditions in Europe’s camps.
This situation is affecting vulnerable people on the Greek islands, as well as in Serbia and FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). In an effort to resolve the situation, MEPs called on the EU to increase its emergency aid and transfer these refugees and migrants to adequate accommodation.
Cecilia Vickström (ALDE, Austria) affirmed that, “One of the harshest winters is affecting the most southern regions. We need emergency measures now to help all the refugees on the continent in all member states, as well as those stuck in the Balkans”. She also called on the EU member states to respond to the problem with “passion and compassion”.
Ska Keller (Green/EFA, Germany) said that children were dying and asked, “How have we allowed this to happen there?” She added that, “We are allowing certain people to suffer so that others are dissuaded from coming to Europe. This is not acceptable”.
MEPs from the S&D are particularly concerned by the fact that thousands of migrants have been sent back to the islands in the Aegean Sea by Turkey, as well as the suffering of old people and children. GUE/NGL MEPs are also angry with this unacceptable situation and pointed out that the very cold weather had been forecast.
The Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, said that “No one can be proud of the situation, Our moral obligation is to provide dignity now” to all these vulnerable people. He provided assurances that they would “help the authorities, particularly in Greece and we will explore all the different possibilities”. He also indicated that there was a possibility of using a ship to take in all those requiring aid. He warned that, “in the medium-term, we will discuss the setting up of equipped and closed centres but they will not be able to function without the support of the local authorities and local people on the islands”. He added, “We are prepared to provide funding to create complementary infrastructure for accommodation”.
After the visit, Commissioner Avramopoulos recently made to Lesbos to assess the humanitarian situation on the islands, Commissioner Stylianides announced that he would visit Belgrade in Serbia on Saturday 21 January and explained, “I will be meeting with refugees and the authorities to express our solidarity. We need to expand reception capacity whilst ensuring that the centres are appropriately equipped”. The Commissioner will have interviews with the Serbian Prime Minister, as well as with civil servants.
More than €43 million has already been spent since October 2015 by the Commission to this end on behalf of Serbia. The EU is still the biggest donor of funds and has contributed €90 million in an effort to improve reception capacity, explained the Commissioner. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)