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ForMin supports creation of asylum camps in north of Africa

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Prague, July 1 (CTK) – Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (Social Democrats, CSSD) told journalists Wednesday that he would welcome the emergence of camps in the north of Africa in which the European Union would process refugees’ asylum applications.

Speaking in the course of the government’s meeting, he said it would be logical if the camps were established in Libya, but the EU does not have any partner for negotiations about them.

Other countries of the region do not show any interest in such camps either, Zaoralek said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) expressed a similar view of asylum camps outside Europe.

He called the refugee crisis the biggest threat to Europe. It is more serious than the conflict in Ukraine or with Russia, he added, commenting on the voluntary redistribution of refugees on which the European Council agreed.

Babis said the problem should be solved in a different way.

Europe, along with the United States, Russia and Saudi Arabia, should identify the countries from where the most refugees are flowing, while the U.N. should also be involved in the process, Babis said.

“The refugee camps should be established outside Europe and no refugee should arrive in northern Europe without going through a camp either in North Africa or the Middle East,” Babis said.

Zaoralek pointed to Spain that created similar camps in Morocco in the past, which helped it cope with an influx of illegal immigrants from Africa.

Zaoralek said Libya would be a logical choice because the biggest number of refugees flowing to Europe come from the country.

However, it is necessary to first establish a functioning government, Zaoralek said.

Southern Europe is now flooded by illegal immigrants brought to it by people’s smugglers. The EU member countries recently agreed on the voluntary redistribution of the refugees across Europe.

“The idea of building them (the camps) right in Africa offers itself, but it is very difficult to find a partner and it is important that we make this a subject of negotiations with the African Union, with African countries,” Zaoralek said.

The idea that has been unofficially spoken about in the EU for some time has already been supported by Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (CSSD) and Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO).

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