More Refugee Math
- Up to 6,000 refugees pour into Greece every day.
- Merkel offered to help countries like Greece with pledge
to relocate 160,000 refugees.
- Since September, the EU's relocation effort has moved
precisely 147 refugees.
- By the way, 6,000 a day is 2,190,000 a year
I said Merkel's relocation plan was idiotic the moment she hatched it, but I
have to admit the results are far worse than even I expected.
Floundering Migrant Policy
The Financial Times reports Europe’s Leaders Struggle to Save Floundering Migrant Policy.
With up to 6,000 people pouring into Greece each day, EU
leaders will rake over what has gone wrong with the bloc’s response and how
to cut a deal with Turkey, which has become the main stopping-off point for
people trying to enter Europe.
The much-vaunted plan to contain asylum-seekers in Italy and Greece before
distributing 160,000 across the bloc has been sluggish. Despite months of
planning, only 147 have been relocated since it was approved in September.
The scheme was the subject of bitter political argument between Germany,
which backed it, and its eastern neighbours, who opposed it. Now it is being
hindered by everything from the reluctance of national capitals to provide
the places, IT failures on the ground and even asylum-seekers’ point-blank
refusal to take part. (Last week’s flight to Luxembourg was the second
attempt after a previous group turned down transit to the Grand Duchy).
As chancellor Angela Merkel comes under pressure from within her own party, Germany
is banking on a deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants from the Middle
East. Berlin, along with the European Commission, has led overtures to
Ankara, bearing promises ranging from €3bn in aid to Schengen visas for
Turkish citizens.
with winter approaching, Mr Asselborn [Jean Asselborn, migration minister for
Luxembourg, current holder of the EU’s rotating presidency] seemed to grasp
the need to make progress, both for the EU’s overburdened member states and
the thousands of migrants on the road.
“We don’t just want a symbolic start, we want to get it off the ground
properly,” he said of the relocation scheme. “We cannot have a situation
where we have a critical humanitarian situation at our borders. We cannot let
people die in the cold in the Balkans.”
"We Cannot Let People Die in the Balkans"
I have a simple question: Why not?
Nonetheless, let's assume that the EU has decided against that policy. What
else could the EU do?
What if people could not get to the Balkans?
Mathematically speaking, if refugees cannot get to the Balkans, they won't
die in the Balkans.
I suggest it's pretty easy to spot where a fence and strict border controls
are needed. Instead, fences are popping up all over the place.
Slovenian Soldiers Erect Razor-Wire Border Fence to Stop Migrants
Just yesterday a new fence came into play as Slovenian Soldiers Erect Razor-Wire Border Fence to Stop
Migrants.
Trucks carrying wire fencing arrived in the Slovenian
village of Veliki Obrez close to the border with Croatia, with large numbers
of soldiers and police guarding construction equipment.
About 180,000 people, many fleeing war in Syria, have entered Slovenia since
mid-October, when Hungary erected a razor-wire fence along its southern
border that forced migrants to divert westward.
Austria said last week it would build barricades at its border with Slovenia,
while Hungary began installing its razor-wire barrier — up to 13 feet in
height — along the Serbian border in September.
Still More Refugee Math
Instead of fencing off the key entry points, a cascade of fences is
developing everywhere else.
Germany is banking on a deal with Turkey with promises ranging from €3bn in
aid to Schengen visas for Turkish citizens.
That is pure rehash of a plan that cannot possibly work. Besides, Turkey long
ago rejected as being insufficient.
Between 2 and 2.5 million Syrian refugees are in Turkey. And there are
another 75 million Turks that just may decide they would rather be in
Germany.
Merkel should be grateful Turkey turned down he offer. Instead of 2.5 million
Syrians who may want in, 75 million Turks may want to relocate.
Finally note the irony in the struggle to save the "floundering migrant
policy". There is nothing at all worth saving. They need to scrap the
existing policy and turn away every refugee.
Until the EU takes a hard line stance like Australia, the problem will not go
away.
For details of Australia's solution please see Former Australia Prime Minister Chastises EU on Securing
Borders.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock
