Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

The European Commission approved member states facing an increasing number of immigrants assistance of 2.4 billion euros for the coming six years. Most will be given to countries standing first in line – Italy and Greece. Since the beginning of the year, nearly 200,000 migrants have arrived to Europe from northern Africa, and now immigration, not unemployment, is the greatest worry for European Union citizens.

For the period 2014-20 Italy will receive nearly 560 million euros, while Greece will get 473 million, said the European Commission.

“EU members today face an unprecedented challenge regarding migration and security and the Commission undertook measures in the spirit of solidarity”, said the European commissioner for migration and interior affairs and citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos.

The Commissioner added that brave steps need to be taken to improve migration management, improve cooperation and ensure the security of EU citizens from organized crime and terrorism. “The national programmes approved by the Commission envisage considerable financial assistance to member states to respond to the challenges. We are determined to still show solidarity in practice”, stated Avramopoulos.

As stated, the Commission worked intensively with member states to ensure urgent disbursement from EU funds. In March, 22 national programmes were already approved, and another 13 will be approved later this year.

According to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), since the beginning of the year around 188,000 migrants reached Europe from northern Africa, and in crossing the Mediterranean over 2,000 people have lost their lives.

Due to the migrant crisis nationalist parties across Europe are ever more vocal against the policy of solidarity.

During the last months the issue of immigration also became the main worry for EU citizens who used to worry about unemployment and the financial crisis, as shown by the latest European surveys. At the same time, numerous governments across Europe are undertaking harsh measures against immigration to pacify their increasingly worried voters.

EU funds for assistance in resolving the migrant crisis will be approved within the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund (ISF).

Source: EurActiv.rs