French President Emmanuel Macron. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Saturday that he advocates imposing financial sanctions against European Union countries that turn away migrants.
He made his divisive remarks a day before the EU is set to hold an emergency meeting in Brussels to discuss disputes over migration with the aim to prepare the ground for a formal EU summit at the end of next week.
“You cannot have countries that massively benefit from the solidarity of the European Union and that massively voice their national selfishness when it comes to migrant issues,” he added, in a clear hint to Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, which oppose the EU relocation scheme for asylum seekers.
“I am in favor of sanctions being imposed in the event of no cooperation,” he said during a press conference with new Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Paris.
The two leaders also declared support for the creation of closed reception centers where migrants would be held while their asylum claims are considered.
The centers would be set up near to where migrants often arrive first in Europe.
“Once on European soil, we are in favor of setting up closed centers in accordance with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) … so that each country takes people who are entitled to asylum in an organized way,” Macron said.
A proposal by EU Council President Donald Tusk puts those migrant centers outside of Europe.
There are currently no closed migrant centers where applications are processed, with the exception of a few cases in Greece and Italy managed by the UNHCR.
For migrants not entitled to asylum, they should be returned directly to their country of origin and not via other countries, Macron added.
Madrid, Berlin and other European capitals support this initiative, a diplomatic source told Reuters.
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