A solution in sight for the survivors of the Sea Watch 3
(B2) A solution seems in sight for the 49 survivors aboard Sea Watch 3 and Professor Albrecht Penck (Sea Eye). Coreper ambassadors discussed it on Tuesday (8 January).
Malta sets its conditions
According to our information, a dozen countries are now ready to take care of the people on board, allowing the problem to be unblocked. The Maltese government has, in fact, laid down two conditions for receiving ships: 1° the people disembarked must leave immediately for the countries concerned; 2° the other European countries must also take charge of some of the 250 or so migrants already picked up by Maltese ships at the end of December 2018 (1).
Eight volunteer countries + Malta
Germany (60), France (60), Portugal (20), Italy (about twenty), the Netherlands (6), Ireland (6), Luxembourg (6), and even Romania (5) — presidency of the European Union obliges — would have volunteered. This brings the total number of people distributed to approximately 180. To this are added 44 people of Bangali origin who should be returned to their country (in accordance with the agreements with Dacca). This would leave around 80 people, it being up to Malta to find them a country of destination or to return them to their country of origin (if they are not entitled to asylum)
Several non-racing countries
We note that several countries are absent subscribers to this solidarity: Belgium and Sweden because they are managed by a government in current affairs, the Eastern countries by ideological position (a habit of refusing a distribution mechanism that it is compulsory or voluntary), the United Kingdom focused on its Brexit. Spain and Greece, which already support a good part of the migrants arriving by sea, have also 'passed their turn'.
Comment: This situation is untenable both for the refugees at sea and for the Europeans at the political level. We cannot, on each ship, wait for the ambassadors to find a solution, leaving the rescued people tossed about at the mercy of the waves. A permanent consultation mechanism can and must be put in place, in order to distribute them among the volunteer countries. It would be a credit to Europe.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
- Coastguard patrol boats on the island had collected during three separate rescue operations: 28 migrants aboard a dinghi 71 miles southwest of Malta and then 152 others aboard a wooden ship; A further 69 people had been rescued on Sunday (December 30).
Read also: 49 migrants awaiting European goodwill
Updated 9.1.2019 14 p.m. with precise figures, country by country
