Prague, Feb 15 (CTK) – The situation might slip out of control if the EU’s outer border protection failed to be improved and the migrant inflow stemmed, and the failure could challenge the foundations of the EU, according to the declaration the summit of the Visegrad Four (V4), Bulgaria and Macedonia approved on Monday.
The prime ministers of the V4 (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia), together with Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov and Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov, expressed in the declaration their full support for measures adopted at the European Union level with the aim of a more effective protection of the external borders.
They emphasised the key role of Turkey and Greece in controlling migration.
If the EU’s planned cooperation with Turkey on stemming migration lags behind expectations, the EU needs an alternative back-up plan that could be introduced immediately.
Now the EU Council should swiftly adopt a position on the European Border and Coast Guard based on the principle of the right balance between the EU powers and Member States’ sovereign competences.
Second, the Prague summit calls for a rapid and credible results of the implementation of the European Union-Turkey Joint Action Plan. In this regard the role of Turkey in stemming the migratory flows and combating human trafficking is crucial, the declaration says.
“Unless we put the decisive steps rapidly into practice and thus improve the management of the most exposed parts of the European Union’s external borders and stem the migratory flow, the situation risks deteriorating beyond our control. Such a development would put the cornerstones of the European integration, especially Schengen and the principle of free movement, at risk. Stepping back in this area would question the very foundations of the European Union and would have strong negative economic, social and symbolic impacts,” the six leaders say in the declaration.
“With the very foundations of the European Union at stake, the Prime Ministers of the Visegrád Group countries call on all European Union Member States to take common, rapid and decisive action,” the participants in the summit say in the declaration, adding that the key strategic objective is to preserve Schengen, which can only be achieved by regaining control over the European Union’s external borders.
The conflict in Syria and the organised crime of people trafficking must be dealt with as well, the declaration says,
At the same time, the declaration says “an alternative back-up plan – ready for implementation – should be developed in case the progress in border protection and cooperation with Turkey falls short of expectations. The March European Council should then decide on the next steps.”
