LH Mikl-Leitner on the closing day of the European Forum: “The fight against illegal migration is becoming a fundamental issue for the Union”; Course correction required in the European Union
no “We cannot be a strong and confident Union if we cannot protect our external borders. The fight against illegal migration thus becomes a fundamental issue for the European Union”, said the governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner on Saturday, the last day of the Europe Forum Wachau this year.
In a time of uncertainties and uncertainties, of many great challenges, the European Union is very valuable, the governor emphasized at the beginning:
“She is responsible for maintaining peace and freedom within the community for decades, she is responsible for the prosperity that has spread to all her countries.”
It is precisely the big challenges for which the European Union was formed: “Our community should focus more on this again. We need a European Union that doesn’t get bogged down in details, bans and ever-changing requirements. We need a European community that reflects on its strengths.”
Alliance of Reasonables
For that, four guidelines were defined for an “Alliance of the Reasonable” as a basis for the content, according to Mikl-Leitner:
“First, we have to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness as a place compared to the US and Asia. Secondly, we must make openness to technology the main priority of European climate policy, because in the fight against climate change we must not put climate protection at the expense of competitiveness. The ‘Green Deal’ must not become a ‘deal breaker’ for the economy. Climate protection is important, but so is the prosperity of our citizens.”
The third point she highlighted was: “We have to rein in bureaucrats and centralism – and see ourselves again as a community of strong regions.” Fourth, she stressed: “We have to significantly improve the protection of the EU’s external borders.”
Need skilled workers
Unprotected external borders are “perhaps the greatest threat to our community,” said Mikl-Leitner. However, the fight against illegal migration “has nothing to do with xenophobia”, she emphasized. On the contrary, Austria and Europe needed the influx of skilled workers:
“But only according to clear rules, in line with the needs of the economy and for the benefit of our society.”
In this context, the governor referred to facts such as the fact that last year more refugees arrived than in 2015, more than half of the refugees arriving in Europe have no reason for asylum and, last year alone, 2,500 people died drowned at sea. “It shows that the current asylum system is not worth its name. The illegal migration crisis needs a common solution more urgently than almost any other problem in Europe.” This issue cannot be resolved by a region or a country alone and, therefore, alliances must be forged, according to the governor. We now need to work together on new regulations on asylum issues, she said: “This ranges from working border protection to speedy procedures at the EU’s external borders to discussing procedures in safe third countries.”
EU course correction
For these concerns, “partners would be sought, at the regional level, but also at the level of the Member States and in Brussels”, announced Mikl-Leitner. In the past, the European Forum has shown many times that it can take Europe one step further: “I am confident that we will succeed again this time. Let’s fight together for a course correction in the European Union. For a Union that faces major challenges with common sense, it does what benefits people and what people expect from it.”
Other speakers on the final day of the 27th Wachau Europe Forum include Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
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