The Defensor del Pueblo has argued that, facing the daily arrival of thousands of refugees in Europe, the European Union ought to present a common and coordinated response which guarantees humanitarian reception, relocation and integration of refugees in their host society.
“Only in this way will it be possible to deal with this crisis”, argued the Defensora del Pueblo, Soledad Becerril, during her appearance at the IX Meeting of Mediterranean Ombudsmen (AMO), which was held in Malta. In her opinion, “the control of migratory flows and the need for persons wishing to enter Europe to do so in a legal and orderly fashion is necessarily compatible with the respect for Human Rights and the international obligations subscribed to by each one of our countries.”
“The return of refugees without hearing their reasons for seeking asylum should be rejected, because collective return is contrary to all international legislation concerning the Right to Asylum and Human Rights.”
Moreover, “We Mediterranean Ombudsmen ought to say no to the closing of borders, no to the confiscation of goods belonging to refugees, and pursue greater means for transit and reception centres”, she explained, citing the commissar of the E.U., Dimitris Avramopulos.
“The consequence of failing to identify these people early on affects the credibility of the European system of international protection and, also, aggravates the conditions of special vulnerability in which these people find themselves.” The Defensor del Pueblo suggests that the urgent actions proposed by the UNHCR serve as a guide for International Human Rights Institutions:
1. Firm European support for the immediate creation of humanitarian reception installations in Greece is necessary, as well as an expansion of existing installations in Italy. Without the capacity for reception, the relocation program will not function effectively.
2. It is important to accelerate the relocation process of people in Greece and Italy. This process ought to be expanded with the voluntary offers of contributions from E.U. countries before the new propositions from the European Commission.
3. It is necessary to reinforce the mechanisms for returning—in a dignified manner—those individuals that do not need international protection and that are incapable of benefitting from other legal means of making their stay permanent, with the support of FRONTEX and the IOM (International Organization for Migration).
Soledad Becerril has also expressed support for the E.U. agreement to provide financial assistance to Turkey in the reception of refugees, as well as in facilitating their integration into the workforce in order to help them help their host country. She is also appreciative of the enormous solidarity demonstrated by some member countries of the European Union, as well as by countries that are currently candidates for membership.
The Defensor del Pueblo has concluded that, “Humanitarian reception is essential, but one must consider the futures of those people who are fleeing. Stopping the war in Syria is fundamental. The foreign policy of the E.U. should be an instrument of mediation to achieve and maintain peace; only then will be able to end or diminish the exodus we are witnessing daily.”
