Commission spokesman criticizes Tusk call to end quotas
European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas has criticized a proposal by European Council President Donald Tusk for the abolition of mandatory quotas on relocating asylum seekers across the EU.
“Returning to a pre-crisis mode of isolated uncoordinated national actions is not an option,” New Europe website quoted Schinas as saying Wednesday.
“Migration policy is not about money and borders, it is a holistic approach covering responsibility and solidarity,” Schinas said, according to the report.
In a draft letter from Tusk to national capitals ahead of the EU summit Thursday, seen by the Guardian, the Council chief said compulsory quotas – forcing countries to take a share of the asylum seekers arriving in the bloc – had been “ineffective” and “highly divisive.”
Meanwhile, reports Wednesday said that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has asked for a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the summit to discuss migration and EU-Turkey relations. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov is also expected to attend the meeting, reports said.
