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Juncker says member states to be blamed for migration problems

Xinhua, August 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker here on Thursday said that criticisms regarding the so-called "inactivity" of the European Union was not justified, the member states have to be blamed for migration problems.

Juncker made the remarks in response to relevant questions at a press conference with visiting Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko.

Juncker said the commission had adopted the migration agenda in May, mainly as far as relocation and resettlement was concerned, plus other proposals. And the criticisms of some member states, or some ministers of some member states regarding the so-called "inactivity" of the commission was not justified. The Council did not adopt the proposals of the commission.

"So the European Commission should not be blamed, nor should the European Union be blamed, the member states have to be blamed," he said.

In July, EU ministers failed to agree on a plan to relocate 40,000 refugees from Italy and Greece.

The commission in May presented a migration agenda, which included strengthened measures to save lives at sea, and improved mechanisms for allowing legal entry into the EU for people fleeing war, and providing for a fair redistribution of refugees.

The number of migrants and asylum seekers who have arrived in Europe by sea in August was approaching a quarter of a million, according to the International Organization for Migration. Endit