Middle East refugee rehoming plan fails
EUROPE’S top migration official yesterday admitted a plan to rehome thousands of refugees fleeing the Middle East is a flop.
The plan to relocate 20,000 to other EU states is part of a two-year scheme to move 160,000 refugees
Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos spoke out after it emerged just 563 migrants from Greece and Italy had been moved to other European states.
Under the European Commission relocation scheme, 20,000 asylum seekers were to have been moved from the Mediterranean frontline in the two months to mid-May.
But Mr Avramopoulos said less than three per cent of the target has been reached.
He added: “We cannot be satisfied with the results so far. More has to be done, and swiftly.”
Dimitris Avramopoulos spoke out after it emerged the plan was being ineffective
The plan to relocate 20,000 to other EU states is part of a two-year scheme to move 160,000 refugees fleeing countries like Syria.
Britain did not participate in the scheme.
Officials believe about 46,000 migrants are now in Greece waiting for asylum claims to be processed.