German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has defended the European Union’s controversial plans for asylum procedures along the bloc’s external borders in remarks to Germany’s parliament.
“This is a historic agreement because it shows that the EU can overcome its differences even on the most controversial issues,” said Scholz, a centre-left Social Democrat.
“Germany will also be unburdened by such a new and fair system, because so far we have been the primary destination for the largely uncontrolled internal migration within the Schengen area,” he said.
At the beginning of June, the EU states voted in favour of comprehensive overhaul of asylum procedures.
Asylum seekers from countries with asylum application approval rates below 20 per cent were to be processed with 12 weeks outside of the EU’s borders.
The newly agreed rules called on asylum seekers to remain in strictly controlled reception facilities while their applications were reviewed.
Those who had their asylum cases denied would be sent back immediately.
Scholz acknowledged that Germany made compromises in agreeing to the new stricter proposed rules.
Scholz’s government was forced to drop its demand that families with children be exempted from the so-called border procedures.
The German chancellor argued on Thursday that compromise was the right thing to do in the interest of European unity and ability to take action.
Scholz said the existing system does not work. (dpa/NAN)