"History
has proven time and again that long-term security cannot be ensured
by the construction of walls and fences,"
said Guy
Verhofstadt ALDE group Leader,
questioning a Greek plan to construct a 12.6 km long wall in the
Evros border region with Turkey to keep out illegal immigrants.
"The
European Union external border agency can and should do more to
assist Member States with responsibility for policing the Union's
external borders but the system is dependent on an efficient and
functioning asylum and immigration system. Greece's inability and
delays in developing such a system, for which she has received
support from the EU, is the real weak link in the chain and is
undermining the whole of the Schengen area as well as worsening the
humanitarian situation in detention centres on Greece's border with
Turkey",
said ALDE coordinator in the Civil Liberties committee Renate
Weber (PNL, Romania).
"Instead
of just building barriers, Greece should first and foremost adopt a
functional asylum system that can process requests efficiently and,
through the EU, agree mechanisms with Turkey to better control
migrant flows. Weak spots at the external borders can be reinforced
more effectively using surveillance equipment and check points than
constructing more man-made barriers."
The
European Commission launched in June 2011 infringement proceedings
against Greece for breaching common EU asylum rules.
09/02/2012
09/02/2012
