Wikström (FP): Message to the Syrians who have written to me on Facebook

Hundreds of people, mainly Syrians, have reacted on the press release we sent out last week stating that there should be legal and safe ways to come to Sweden. Cecilia Wikström, member of the European Parliament, is not able to answer every message personally, but here comes a common reply to all of you.

“I am overwhelmed by your support and kind words, it gives me energy and strength to continue my fight for an asylum system based on solidarity and humanity”, says Wikström.

The whole message:

This is a message dedicated particularly to the many hundreds of you, mainly Syrians, who have written to me on Facebook in the past few days, reacting on the press release that we sent out last week stating that there should be legal and safe ways for refugees to reach Europe in order to apply for asylum.

I deeply regret that thousands of people every month are risking their lives by crossing the Mediterranean Sea in unsafe boats, in their search for international protection and a better future in Europe than the places they are fleeing from. I can assure you that I am doing everything I can in order to make the EU-member states to increase their volume of quota refugees in order to avoid tragical disasters such as the one we witnessed outside of Lampedusa last week. I am also raising the proposal that it should be possible to apply for asylum visas on EU-embassies and consulates in third countries. It is a huge disgrace and failure that there still aren’t any legal and safe ways to get to Europe in order to apply for asylum.

It is clear that money alone is not enough to stop the severity of the ongoing human suffering in Syria. Granting temporary protection to refugees fleeing the conflict is the way forward if we really want to contribute to the Syrian refugees humanitarian assistance. Today the EU legislation already provides instruments to grant humanitarian visa, such as the Visa Code and Schengen Borders Code. Some EU countries, like Germany and Sweden, are already showing the way. But more should be done and I want to stress that Member States have instruments at their disposal if the situation were to deteriorate, such as the Temporary Protection Directive. No Member State can be excused from reaching out to Syrian refugees, given their capacity and their tools. It is a matter of solidarity and humanity”.

I am overwhelmed by your support and kind words, it gives me even more energy in my fight for an asylum system based on solidarity and humanity.

Thank you and I wish you all the best.

Cecilia Wikström