The European interior ministers reached this Thursday a unanimous political agreement to grant temporary protection to refugees “fleeing the war” in Ukraine and foreigners residing in that country, announced the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Ylva Johansson.
“We reached a unanimous decision,” Johansson said at the end of a meeting of European interior ministers in Brussels. “I am proud of the solidarity that European citizens are showing”, she added, to greet a “historic decision”.
For his part, the French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, explained at a press conference that “Eligible persons may benefit from a protection status similar to that of any refugee from any country of the European Union.”
The agreement will apply mainly to Ukrainian citizens and their relatives, and to those foreigners who enjoy refugee status in Ukraine.
Foreigners who can show a certificate of residence in that country.
Johansson explained that foreigners “who are temporarily working in Ukraine, or students, are not covered” by the protection.
Those third-country nationals “you are welcome” in Europe, said Johansson, although the EU contacts their countries of origin so that they come looking for them.
More than a million people had fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, according to the latest UN count on Thursday.
“We have already received almost a million refugees from Ukraine. And we’re going to see millions more.”Johansson said.
The European Union (EU) had adopted in 2001 a Temporary Protection Directive for people fleeing armed conflicts, but until now it had never been applied.
Until now the holders of a Ukrainian passport they can enter the European space and stay up to 90 days without a visaalthough those who benefit from temporary protection may even work in Europe and enjoy social coverage.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that “It is a historic moment. Everyone [los ministros] they said yes. Clearly we need this directive, which has existed for 20 years”.
Faeser stressed that “foreigners with a certificate of residence in Ukraine will be treated in the same way as Ukrainian citizens.”
The decision adopted on Thursday “is a very strong signal that the EU is united on such an important issue,” he added.
In Brussels, the European interior ministers had begun a meeting determined to achieve political agreement to implement this Directive, but clearly divided on the criteria to be adopted for people who flee from Ukraine but do not have a passport from that country.
The delegations of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria expressed concern with the precise definition of who could benefit from temporary protection.
In return, the Luxembourg minister, Jean Asselborn, warned that protection should be offered without distinction of origin. “We must not establish apartheid now!” he said.
For the moment, the EU members have not started formal discussions on the distribution of refugees among the countries of the bloc. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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