site.btaExperts Discuss Refugee Problem, Its Impact on the Balkans at Conference

Experts Discuss Refugee Problem, Its Impact on the Balkans at Conference

Sofia, December 3 (BTA) - The EU and the Balkans are facing two different types of problems and crises, said here on Thursday the head of the Institute for Economics and International Relations, Lyubomir Kyuchoukov, during a conference about the refugee wave problems their impact on the Balkans. The conference was organized by the Sofia Security Forum and the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies.

Western Europe, mainly Germany, Sweden, France, the Netherlands and Belgium, must deal with the accommodation and integration of migrants. The Balkans, on the other hand, are facing a transit problem and not integration at this stage, Kyuchoukov said. He sees the European approach as lacking consensus and policies.

Greek Ambassador to Bulgaria Dimosthenis Stoidis said that the Balkans are going through an unprecedented crisis, for which the countries in the region were largely unprepared. He recalled that some 650,000 refugees have entered Greece since the beginning of 2015, however, some view this as a Greek problem and not a European one. Ambassador Stoidis underscored the need for true solidarity and "more Europe".

The Balkans are probably the most vulnerable and threatened region in many aspects, with security taking a precedence, said the Sofia Security Forum Chair Yordan Bozhilov.