People first.

Statement of the Young European Federalists Rhineland-Palatinate, Saar, and Berlin-Brandenburg on the failed asylum policy and the fire in Moria.

Statement of the Young European Federalists Rhineland-Palatinate, Saar, and Berlin-Brandenburg on the failed asylum policy and the fire in Moria.

We,
the Young European Federalists of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Berlin-Brandenburg call on the European Union to take immediate action on refugee policy and the reception of refugees from Moria. Last night's fires in the largest refugee camp in Europe are a nightmare for many families, mothers, fathers and children on the ground. At the same time, this picture shows the failure of the European Union in its refugee policy and respect for human rights. A state of affairs for which one is deeply ashamed as a European*. A refugee camp, which was originally built for 3 000 people, has grown fourfold in size, making the precarious situation of the people living there much worse. The third largest economy in the world, with almost 450 million people, is unable to accommodate this comparatively small number of suffering people. Thousands are strangled again by war, torture and persecution and have nowhere to go. It is still unclear where many are after the inferno of yesterday. The Greek police on the ground are preventing many people from taking refuge in a safe haven or from leaving the place.

The failure of European asylum policy in Dublin III is no longer to blame. This procedure is blocking a common, humane asylum policy in Europe. Countries like Greece and Italy were already left behind five years ago. They refuse to learn from these mistakes and shirk political responsibility. Mr Seehofer and the German government must end their politically motivated blockade and put an end to this suffering together with all other European interior ministers* without ducking behind others. The German Presidency of the Council of the EU makes it its duty to respect human rights, international law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In particular, Article 1: "Human dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected" and to enforce Articles 2 and 3. Above all, since the German Presidency, he would have succeeded in gaining support from other Member States, even if not all Member States had done so. Germany and individual Member States, with their local authorities, are ready to receive people.

We, the Young European Federalists, call for the immediate evacuation of Moria and the restoration of the dignity of the people currently living there, their European guaranteed rights, such as the right to life, and their internationally guaranteed rights as asylum seekers through the reception. We demand that the people there be treated as people of equal standing and not continue to be a political bargaining chip. We demand that their humanity be returned to them and that they be confronted on a person-to-person basis. The EU finally needs an asylum policy, this is possible under the Treaty, but is not politically desirable. The European nationalism and egoism of the nation states must not be at the expense of innocent refugees and refugees seeking help.

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