European leaders worried about refugee children

European leaders here on Tuesday during a high-level conference expressed concern about the protection of refugee children, especially those who are not accompanied by their parents.

The record number of crises worldwide and their interaction make international environment insecure and more unpredictable, and children pay the heaviest price, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said while addressing the conference during which the Council of Europe launched its new Strategy for the Rights of the Child for 2016-2021.

"Despite our efforts, despite the results achieved, we continue to witness daily violations of children's rights. Migrant children and unaccompanied children today are particularly vulnerable to violence," Plevneliev said before the eyes of more than 300 participants from the Council of Europe member states, including his Maltese counterpart Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and 16 ministers.

Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni said "Let me stress the urgency with which Europe's governments must now act to protect the many refugee children falling into the hands of traffickers and criminals."

"This is a priority for the Council of Europe and it must remain at the top of our thoughts," she added.

Later on Tuesday, while answering a question at a press conference, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Policy Ivailo Kalfin said that the unaccompanied refugee children "are in fact victims of trafficking."

The problem can be solved in principle by changing the approach, Kalfin said.

Europe should show solidarity with those fleeing from war, but not when they have passed through trafficking networks, he added. Endit