Speech in plenary: Humanitarian situation of refugees within the EU and neighbouring countries

Cecilia Wikström, on behalf of the ALDE Group:

– Mr President, I would like to express thanks and gratitude to Turkey, to Jordan and to Lebanon, which have received up to now between three and four million of the ten million Syrian refugees – where we, in the EU, in our 28 countries, up to now have received approximately 500 000. We are the richest continent in the world and this is our contribution.

In certain Member States, and I will name names – Hungary – the refugees are being met by barbed wire, a fence, they are being shot at, they are being targeted with tear gas. Furthermore, the national legislation today makes sure that Hungarian citizens who show solidarity and humanitarian care by sheltering refugees in their homes run the risk of being put in prison for three years, and their neighbours are now willing to inform on those Hungarian citizens who take their humanitarian responsibility seriously. Is this the Europe we want to see, Mr President? Is this the EU that we want to see?

Not since the Second World War have we had such legislation in our Member States and I feel it shameful that this is where we are today. We can do so much more and we can do so much better, and the world is looking at us. When I was in the US last week, Orbán gave a speech pointing out that this is the reality in Europe today. If this is the situation now, then what will the future be?