29 Migrants from Greece Relocated to Bulgaria under EU Scheme - EU Report

Brussels, February 8 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - The European Commission considered on Wednesday the ninth progress report on EU's emergency relocation and resettlement schemes. Among the findings of the report is that the process is stalling and urgent action is needed, according to EC Vice President Frans Timmermans.

EC data show that so far 29 migrants have been relocated to Bulgaria from Greece and none from Italy and Turkey under EU quotas.

According to Timmermans, 14,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey have been resettled across the EU, which is half of the quotas. As few as 12,000 migrants have been relocated from Italy and Greece. Timmermans said that the EC may take legal actions against countries which fail to implement quotas but for now the Commission preferred the political approach. Timmermans urged EU countries to put pressure on one another on quota implementation.

Relocation takes political will on behalf of all EU countries. Timmermans said that beliefs that migration policy will improve with enhancing the external borders and negotiations with the countries of origin of migration were wrong. According to him, the EU has a moral obligation to protect people in need.

Of plans unveiled by Hungary to place all asylum seekers in closed type centres where they will await a final decision on their application, Timmermans voiced hope that the EC will be familiarized with the bill. According to him, each piece of legislations should be in line with the EU rules for protection of asylum seekers.