During the G27 summit, Poland and Hungary refused to agree to a joint declaration on migration. The two countries voted against the text, even though most European countries reached an agreement on it two days ago.
Despite reaching an agreement on it, Poland and Hungary insisted, during the 27-nation summit, held on Friday in Spain, on their strong rejection of reforming the European immigration system.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said upon his arrival at the informal European Union summit held in Granada, "We are not afraid of the dictates that come from Brussels and Berlin."
He reiterated his refusal to impose a system to "distribute irregular immigrants" on his country, 10 days before the legislative elections in Poland, which are expected to witness intense competition.
His Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, went further in his criticism, saying, “If you are violated in the name of the law, and forced to accept something you do not like, how can a settlement or agreement be reached? This is impossible.”
To express their dissatisfaction, the two countries prevented the adoption of a joint declaration on migration at the conclusion of the summit, in a symbolic step that reflects a division within the bloc.
Migration, one of the thorniest topics among the 27 countries, was included on the agenda of this summit in the wake of the recent influx of migrants to the small Italian island of Lampedusa, a reminder of the urgent need for a European response.
In recent days, the Spanish Canary Archipelago has also witnessed a surge in the number of immigrants arriving there.
On Wednesday, the ambassadors of the European Union countries agreed on a regulatory regulation that establishes a mandatory solidarity mechanism between member states in the event that one of these countries faces an “exceptional situation” linked to the arrival of “large numbers” of migrants to its borders. The regulation, which also provides for a system that detracts from traditional asylum procedures and provides less protection for migrants, was subject to compromise to overcome German and then Italian hesitation.
"big success"
This regulation, the final part of the EU Asylum and Migration Charter to be negotiated with the European Parliament and Member States, was approved by a qualified majority as the Treaties stipulate, and not unanimously as Poland and Hungary demand.
The two countries voted against the text, while Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic abstained from voting.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed on Friday her satisfaction with this text, considering that “the position that Italy took a year ago is dominant today.”
She affirmed her "understanding of the position" of her Hungarian and Polish counterparts, stressing that the differences in views on immigration reform between her and these leaders were due to "differences in geographical location."
At the conclusion of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed “the progress of this issue as it should by a majority.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed what she described as a "huge success."
Poland and Hungary unsuccessfully demanded that the final declaration of the Granada Summit include a reference to the necessity of consensus in order to adopt immigration reform.
After failing to get that signal, the two countries refused to agree to a joint declaration on migration.
Morawiecki considered that his “objection” to a joint statement on immigration “means that this process will not move forward... and that Poland has a chance to stop it.”
During the Brussels summit at the end of June, the Polish-Hungarian duo had previously obstructed the ratification of the summit results to express their opposition to two other texts of the Migration Charter approved by the member states a short time ago.
The project confirms the European Union's determination to establish "comprehensive, mutually beneficial partnerships with countries of departure and transit," such as the agreement signed in July with Tunisia in order to limit the arrival of migrants to Europe from there.
But the memorandum of understanding with Tunisia is controversial due to concerns regarding respect for the rights of migrants in this country, as well as due to criticism from some member states that complained that they were not sufficiently involved in the negotiations regarding it.
Doubts about this partnership were increased by the recent statements of Tunisian President Kais Saied, in which he rejected the European funds allocated to his country and described them as “measly.”
Within 6 years 43.1 million children were forcibly displaced due to climate disasters
UNICEF announced that more than 43 million children were forcibly displaced from their homes between 2016 and 2021 due to climate change, calling on world leaders to address this issue at the COP28 climate conference.
Floods, storms, droughts and disasters fueled by climate warming have led to 43.1 million child displacements between 2016 and 2021, UNICEF announced in a report published Thursday, warning that this is only “the tip of the iceberg.”
The United Nations agency recounts the trauma that Juana, who was 9 years old, experienced in 2020 when the city where she was living in Guatemala was flooded after Hurricanes Eta and Iota, and the story of the two young sisters, Mia and Maya, who watched their mobile home destroyed by fire in California.
As for Abdel Azim, a Sudanese child whose village was flooded in August 2022 and was only accessible by boat, he said: “We carried our luggage to the public road where we lived for weeks.”
The report indicated that between 2016 and 2021, four types of climate disasters led to the displacement of 43.1 million children in 44 countries, 95% of which were related to floods and storms.
He revealed that partial forecasts show that river floods alone could cause 96 million displacements of children in the next thirty years, while winds accompanying hurricanes could cause 10.3 million displacements, while sea tides associated with storms could cause 7.2 million displacements.
UNICEF called on world leaders to address this issue at the COP28 climate conference being held in Dubai within weeks.