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French PM Manuel Valls says refugee crisis is 'destabilising' Europe French PM Manuel Valls says refugee crisis is 'destabilising' Europe
(35 minutes later)
The French prime minister, Manuel Valls, has said Europe cannot take in all the refugees fleeing wars in Iraq and Syria and that the crisis was putting the concept of Europe itself in grave danger.The French prime minister, Manuel Valls, has said Europe cannot take in all the refugees fleeing wars in Iraq and Syria and that the crisis was putting the concept of Europe itself in grave danger.
Speaking to the BBC at the economic forum in Davos, Valls said Europe needed to take urgent action to control its external borders. “Otherwise,” he said, “our societies will be totally destabilised.”Speaking to the BBC at the economic forum in Davos, Valls said Europe needed to take urgent action to control its external borders. “Otherwise,” he said, “our societies will be totally destabilised.”
Asked about border controls inside Europe, which many fear put the passport-free Schengen zone at risk, Valls said the concept of Europe was in jeopardy. “If Europe is not capable of protecting its own borders, it’s the very idea of Europe that will be questioned,” he said.Asked about border controls inside Europe, which many fear put the passport-free Schengen zone at risk, Valls said the concept of Europe was in jeopardy. “If Europe is not capable of protecting its own borders, it’s the very idea of Europe that will be questioned,” he said.
He said a message to refugees that says “Come, you will be welcome”, provoked major shifts in population. “Today, when we speak in Europe, a few seconds later it is mainly on the smartphones in the refugee camps,” Valls said.He said a message to refugees that says “Come, you will be welcome”, provoked major shifts in population. “Today, when we speak in Europe, a few seconds later it is mainly on the smartphones in the refugee camps,” Valls said.
Related: Pressure to resolve migration crisis could tear EU apartRelated: Pressure to resolve migration crisis could tear EU apart
The large numbers of refugees in Europe has been a persistent theme of the Davos summit. The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, on Thursday said Europe was close to breaking point and needed to come up with a common response or run the risk that one of the European Union’s founding principles would start to unravel.The large numbers of refugees in Europe has been a persistent theme of the Davos summit. The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, on Thursday said Europe was close to breaking point and needed to come up with a common response or run the risk that one of the European Union’s founding principles would start to unravel.
“We need to get a grip on this issue in the next six to eight weeks”, Rutte said.“We need to get a grip on this issue in the next six to eight weeks”, Rutte said.
He said in the first three weeks of this year 35,000 people had crossed the EU’s borders and this would quadruple once the spring arrives. “We can’t cope with the numbers any longer. We need to get a grip on this.”He said in the first three weeks of this year 35,000 people had crossed the EU’s borders and this would quadruple once the spring arrives. “We can’t cope with the numbers any longer. We need to get a grip on this.”
Rutte said that before the Schengen agreement was killed off, the EU had to try to make the Dublin regulation – under which refugees should seek asylum in the first country they reach – work. “No one wants to kill Schengen, but if it is only a fairweather system then it cannot survive.”Rutte said that before the Schengen agreement was killed off, the EU had to try to make the Dublin regulation – under which refugees should seek asylum in the first country they reach – work. “No one wants to kill Schengen, but if it is only a fairweather system then it cannot survive.”
Valls has in recent days been hammering home his message that Europe cannot welcome all refugees.Valls has in recent days been hammering home his message that Europe cannot welcome all refugees.
Unlike Germany, France has not moved to open its doors to large numbers of people fleeing into Europe. The French president François Hollande, after initially stalling and opposing quotas, has said France would take 24,000 refugees in the period up to next year.Unlike Germany, France has not moved to open its doors to large numbers of people fleeing into Europe. The French president François Hollande, after initially stalling and opposing quotas, has said France would take 24,000 refugees in the period up to next year.
French public opinion has been split, with at least half opposed to more refugees coming to France.French public opinion has been split, with at least half opposed to more refugees coming to France.
Refugees themselves have often chosen to avoid France in favour of other northern countries. When last year French representatives travelled to Germany to convince a small number of refugees to claim asylum, they had trouble convincing people and the official coaches departing for France were not full.Refugees themselves have often chosen to avoid France in favour of other northern countries. When last year French representatives travelled to Germany to convince a small number of refugees to claim asylum, they had trouble convincing people and the official coaches departing for France were not full.
This reluctance is for several reasons: France has over 10% high unemployment — double that of Germany — but it aslo previously had a record of very slow processing of asylum claims.This reluctance is for several reasons: France has over 10% high unemployment — double that of Germany — but it aslo previously had a record of very slow processing of asylum claims.
Some refugees were also put off by stories of tough policing in places like Calais. The current political debate on national identity and islam, often inspired by far-right themes, created an atmosphere where accepting newcomers is seen as a problem.Some refugees were also put off by stories of tough policing in places like Calais. The current political debate on national identity and islam, often inspired by far-right themes, created an atmosphere where accepting newcomers is seen as a problem.
Sweden’s prime minister, Stefan Löfven, also speaking at Davos, expressed doubts about whether the tight timetable set by Rutte could be met. “I’m not naive,” he said. “My argument to the countries that are not willing to accept refugees is that if we can’t handle this the European Union is at risk. If we cannot do it there is a risk to Schengen.”Sweden’s prime minister, Stefan Löfven, also speaking at Davos, expressed doubts about whether the tight timetable set by Rutte could be met. “I’m not naive,” he said. “My argument to the countries that are not willing to accept refugees is that if we can’t handle this the European Union is at risk. If we cannot do it there is a risk to Schengen.”
Austria had announced on Wednesday that it planned to limit the number of people allowed to apply for asylum to 1.5% of its population over the next four years. For this year, the government said in a statement, the number would be capped at 37,500.Austria had announced on Wednesday that it planned to limit the number of people allowed to apply for asylum to 1.5% of its population over the next four years. For this year, the government said in a statement, the number would be capped at 37,500.
Germany’s finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, said he did not even want to contemplate whether Germany, which accepted more than 1 million refugees in 2015, could cope with a similar number this year. He said Europe had to be prepared to spend billions on a crisis that would cost a lot more than envisaged.Germany’s finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, said he did not even want to contemplate whether Germany, which accepted more than 1 million refugees in 2015, could cope with a similar number this year. He said Europe had to be prepared to spend billions on a crisis that would cost a lot more than envisaged.
Jim Yong Kim, the president of the World Bank, said the refugee problem had intensified and he had been asked by the UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, to rethink the humanitarian response to the crisis so that emergency assistance formed part of a long-term development plan.Jim Yong Kim, the president of the World Bank, said the refugee problem had intensified and he had been asked by the UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, to rethink the humanitarian response to the crisis so that emergency assistance formed part of a long-term development plan.
Speaking to the Guardian in Davos, Kim said the bill for refugees was soaring and a new approach was needed. “People are attached to staying where they are but there has to be hope of finding work. “We have to build up the productive capacity of countries with large numbers of refugees. We have to make it attractive to stay in these countries.”
Related: Is the Schengen dream of Europe without borders becoming a thing of the past?Related: Is the Schengen dream of Europe without borders becoming a thing of the past?
Gordon Brown called for governments, business and charitable foundations to provide the money to put every Syrian refugee child in school, as he warned that the greatest humanitarian disaster since the second world war risked creating a lost generation. Speaking to the Guardian in Davos, Kim said the bill for refugees was soaring and a new approach was needed. “People are attached to staying where they are but there has to be hope of finding work. “We have to build up the productive capacity of countries with large numbers of refugees. We have to make it attractive to stay in these countries.”
The former British prime minister, now the UN special envoy for education, told the Davos economic summit that the current market turmoil should not be used as an excuse for inaction. At least 21 people, including eight children, died in two separate incidents of boats smuggling migrants or refugees sinking off two Greek islands overnight into Friday. Dozens survived, and a search and rescue operation was underway for more potential survivors.
He said: “Whatever the difficulties in financial markets and whatever difficulties countries have with their individual aid budgets, we have to come together in the face of this great humanitarian crisis.” In the first incident, a wooden boat carrying 48 people sank in the early hours off the small islet of Farmakonissi in the eastern Aegean. Forty of the passengers managed to make it to shore, while authorities rescued one girl and recovered seven bodies from the sea — those of six children and one woman, the coast guard said.
Brown, said there were now 60 million displaced people around the world, 20 million of them refugees. “Syria is at the epicentre with the fastest growing problem – 12 million displaced persons, 4 million of them refugees, 2 million of them children.” A few hours later, a wooden sailboat carrying an undetermined number of people sank off the islet of Kalolimnos, to the south of Farmakonissi.
Justine Greening, the UK’s international development secretary, strongly backed the idea of spending more on schools as part of a comprehensive approach designed to build up economies in the Middle East. The coast guard rescued 26 people and recovered 14 bodies — nine women, three men and two children — while coast guard vessels, a helicopter and private boats were searching for survivors. Authorities said the survivors’ estimates of how many people had originally been on board varied from about 40 to 70, so it was unclear how many people were missing.
She said: “Billions of euros can be spent on failure or they can be put it into a constructive, positive response which meets what the refugees really want – education and a job.” Greece has become the main gateway for people fleeing war and poverty trying to reach the European Union.