site.btaMEP Yoncheva: New Migration Pact Will Slash Security Risks for Bulgaria

The security risks for Bulgaria and Europe in the event of major migrant crises will be significantly reduced when the new migration pact is adopted. One of its regulations provides for detailed screening of arrivals at the EU's external borders, a detailed, careful check. Those arrivals for whom there is evidence that they might pose a security risk will be returned to their countries of origin or to third countries. The pact is one step away from its final adoption, Elena Yoncheva, MEP (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats) told Bulgarian National Radio here on Sunday, as quoted by her press office.

Yoncheva heads the group that leads the negotiations on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum between the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council.

A preliminary agreement was reached on all ten pieces of legislation back in December, and on February 14 they were adopted by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). A final vote is expected in Strasbourg in April, the MEP said. 

Elena Yoncheva stressed that with the introduction of the new solidarity mechanism, which is part of the pact, Bulgaria and the other countries at the EU's borders will no longer have to cope alone when there is migrant pressure. Member States would have to distribute at least 30,000 people a year among themselves, and allocate EUR 600 million or provide technical or other expert assistance, she said. "If Bulgaria had to accept migrants from other countries, it would be equivalent to 0.9% of that number. We are talking about less than 300 people a year," Yoncheva said.

The new legislation will replace the current Dublin Regulation, which obliges the EU countries where migrants first reach to be responsible for them. These countries are usually those at the external borders, such as Bulgaria. 

The Dublin Regulation did not help Europe cope with the pressure in 2015 and 2016. For almost ten years, the EU has been discussing - without result so far - what the policies on migration should be, she said.

"The new legislation is extremely important, especially for Bulgaria. We will no longer be the first country responsible for those entering illegally," Elena Yoncheva said. She highlighted the fact that the mechanism for the distribution of migrants will be binding for all Member States - something she insisted on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats, adding that under the current rules this is optional and does not work in practice. 

Asked about the link between migration policy and Schengen, Yoncheva pointed out that Bulgaria has long met all the criteria for Schengen membership. The joint statement between Austria, Bulgaria and Romania, which was circulated together with the Council's decision on partial entry into the area, and which insists on a rapid readmission of migrants who have reached Austria, is not legally binding, the MEP clarified. The Dublin Regulation has clear rules, according to which Bulgaria cannot be forced to take back thousands of people. 

At the same time, the Government of Bulgaria, whichever it is, can do whatever it decides, including to take in thousands, although this would not be in Bulgaria's national interests, Elena Yoncheva said. The fears of Bulgarians and some political forces exist because there is no trust in the Government, according to her. 

She also recalled that negotiations for a new Schengen legislation are ongoing in the EU. It will allow each country to have more freedom to decide to unilaterally close its borders for a certain period of time. This would remove Austria's argument that it is worried about migrants. And at the moment, Vienna has closed several border crossings with Germany, Elena Yoncheva said. 

Migration is likely to be one of the main issues in the European election campaign, she predicted. Yoncheva also commented on the possibility of Europe developing its defence capabilities. At this stage there is no capacity to build a common defence, she said. She is also a member of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE). "If Europe wants to be a player in geopolitics, it must have its own defence capacity. The question is whether, once it has it, it will be able to make decisions independently and defend the interests of European citizens without external interference," she added. 

"The comment on the EU's defence capabilities came in the context of the discussion about the war in Ukraine. The EU does not have a strong voice on this topic, we are not leaders in finding a peaceful solution, we are assigned a donor role," Yoncheva said. According to her, the interests of Europeans are not protected in this way. "This is why polls show that the upcoming European elections will see an increase in votes for the far left and the far right. There are already discussions among European Social Democrats, the most active of which are some of our German colleagues, who believe that sending military aid will not lead to a solution to the conflict. Sooner or later the war will end at the negotiating table, where Moscow and Washington will be sitting, while there will be no place for Europe," she said.