"European asylum system a big lie”

"European asylum system a big lie”

"It is clear for everyone that the European Union's migration policy has collapsed,” Denmark’s immigration minister told Belgian economic paper De Tijd. The politician of Ethiopian descent stressed that the bloc's unreasonable migration policy was causing serious problems in schools and the labour market. This is the second time in just a few days that Denmark has confronted Brussels, and there was a heated debate in the European Parliament following a proposal by the Danish government.

POLITICS JANUARY 20. 2022 13:02

Denmark’s immigration minister of Ethiopian descent has stirred up sentiments again. Talking to the Belgian business newspaper De Tijd, Mattias Tesfaye sharply criticized the EU’s migration policy. He called the European asylum system “a big lie” and said it was clear for everyone that the EU’s migration policy has collapsed. Mr Tesfaye pointed out that social cohesion, which he considers one of the most important pillars of the welfare state, is under constant attack.

„I say this as a member of the Social Democratic Party. High levels of migration cause problems in schools, with our social housing system and at the low-skilled labour market. So it’s the typical Social Democrat voters who’ll end up paying the highest price for uncontrolled migration,”

the Danish politician said.

According to the minister, it is quite clear that migration from the Middle East poses a threat to the economy because a large number of newly arrived immigrants, especially women, find it difficult to find work. Mattias Tesfaye said migration was also a challenge to European values.

„These people are not only bringing along their toothbrushes, credit cards and phones, but they also bring with them their religion, their beliefs and their own values. And while most of them follow these values peacefully in Denmark, there are some who don’t,” he said.

A few days ago Denmark’s immigration minister was also caught in the crossfire. The Danish government is proposing an asylum mechanism whereby asylum seekers arriving in Denmark would be transferred to a partner country outside the Schengen area, while their application is being assessed. Mr Tesfaye also presented the Danish government’s proposal to the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). In his opening speech, the minister stressed that the EU’s current asylum system has failed as it cannot guarantee the safety of people fleeing war and persecution. Therefore, strong agreements with third countries based on a level playing field are needed so that asylum applications can be processed outside Denmark. Mr Tesfaye added that if the situation in the country concerned was to improve, asylum seekers should return to their countries of origin.

Following Mr Tesfaye’s speech, MEPs sharply criticized the Danish government’s proposal, claiming that the draft completely lacked a democratic trajectory. The strongest criticism came from Dutch liberal MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld, who said the proposal was not in line with European values. She also stressed that she believes immigrants do not pose any security risk.

„Should the security of Danish society be guaranteed? What kind of danger is there that would threaten a prosperous state like Denmark?”

– the liberal MEP asked rather irritably, adding that the Danish government is trying to cater for far-right views.

In contrast, Peter Kofod, Danish MEP for the right-wing Identity and Democracy said it was great that the Danish government shared the view that physical border barriers could be part of the solution to the migration issue.

„Leaders in Copenhagen also acknowledged that the way moving us forward is the one laid out by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during the 2015 migrant crisis,” the politician said.

 

POLITICS

Tags:

coordination of migration, danish government, europe