Dutch REFUSE to take migrants, laying bare UTTER CHAOS at heart of EU refugee plan
THE Netherlands have exposed a growing division in the European Union after refusing to take in migrants who were rescued in the Mediterranean unless other member states are willing to do the same.
By JOE BARNES, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT
Express.co.uk
Fri, Jan 4, 2019
Around 32 migrants are currently on Dutch-flagged NGO rescue boat Sea-Watch 3, which is currently moored off the coast of Malta after being rescued in late December near the Libyan coast. The Dutch offer has has once again fuelled the fire of bitter argument amongst EU countries about the shared burden of rehousing rescued migrants. Lennart Wegewijs, a spokesman for the Dutch security and justice ministry, insists the country are ready to “possibly take in a proportional number of migrants on board Sea-Watch 3, on condition that other European countries do the same”.
The Netherlands became embroiled in a stand-off over the onboard conditions after initially refusing to accept the rescued migrants, which includes four women and seven children, four of whom are unaccompanied.
Italy, Malta and Spain were also involved in the row after refusing to take in a number of those on board Sea-Watch 3.
The European Commission, Brussels’ powerful executive, are working with EU countries in order to end the deadlock.
The Rest…HERE
