EU warns of refugee 'catastrophe' as winter closes in
By LORNE COOK

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union warned on Monday of a looming humanitarian "catastrophe" with tens of thousands of people traveling through the Balkans to northern Europe as winter closes in.

More than 770,000 people have arrived in the EU by sea so far this year, overwhelming border authorities and reception facilities. Many have made the arduous land journey on foot through the Balkans in search of sanctuary or work in countries like Germany or Sweden.

The EU's 28 member nations have pledged to provide experts and funds to help manage the emergency, and to share refugees among them.

But the resources have been painfully slow in coming.

"The European Union must do everything to avoid a catastrophe as winter closes in," Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said after chairing the latest in a long series of high-level talks on the challenge. "We cannot let people die from the cold in the Balkans."

To help manage the influx, EU border agency Frontex has called for 775 extra officers, but member states have so far only offered about half that amount. Slovenia asked for 400 more police officers within a week to help out. Almost three weeks later, less than half has been pledged.

A so-called relocation plan is meant to share 160,000 refugees arriving in Greece and Italy, but barely more than 100 people have been moved so far.

"We need to move from the dozens to the hundreds," the EU's top migration official, Dmitris Avramopoulos, told reporters after the meeting in Brussels.

Asselborn said the ministers had discussed setting up "processing centers" in the Balkans, where people could be registered and given information as they travel further north. But they would also have to accept to have their fingerprints taken, which some migrants are refusing to do.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that his country had committed to relocate 30,000 refugees "in coming weeks and months."

He also urged his EU partners to live up to their pledges and to enforce the rules in place on returning people who don't qualify for asylum back to their home countries.

"Solidarity can't work if we are not determined enough to implement the measures that we have already agreed," he said.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-11-10

I suppose that the people at the top that decide to allow all those so called " refugees " to flooded the EU

like a swarm of locusts didn't know that winter will come around the same time of the year?

was to much to plan ahead, or was it sheer ignorance and stupidity?

I see there is no mention of any catastrophe facing the legions of elderly Europeans who will be struggling once again to heat their homes and generally make ends meet on their meagre pensions. They clearly don't seem to count. Thanks for all you have done and all you have paid in over the years, folks, now piss off...

I see there is no mention of any catastrophe facing the legions of elderly Europeans who will be struggling once again to heat their homes and generally make ends meet on their meagre pensions. They clearly don't seem to count. Thanks for all you have done and all you have paid in over the years, folks, now piss off...

That's just what they want . When elderly die : no more pension payout , no more expensive medical care and a heavy TAX on their property & money from inheritance. For governments , elderly have nothing to contribute , letting them die as soon as possible is a win win win ! The young imigrants are the new tax payers (so they think...).

I see there is no mention of any catastrophe facing the legions of elderly Europeans who will be struggling once again to heat their homes and generally make ends meet on their meagre pensions. They clearly don't seem to count. Thanks for all you have done and all you have paid in over the years, folks, now piss off...

That's just what they want . When elderly die : no more pension payout , no more expensive medical care and a heavy TAX on their property & money from inheritance. For governments , elderly have nothing to contribute , letting them die as soon as possible is a win win win ! The young imigrants are the new tax payers (so they think...).

My hometown has just housed the first 12 of 50 Syrian families. I am sure some of these senior citizens will be as delighted as everyone else to learn they want for nothing: complimentary TVs, carpets, washing machines, fridges, full health and social security benefits and free transport to the mosque... Cancer sufferers in the UK get £133 a week to live on, TV not included. Something certainly stinks somewhere...

Edited November 10, 201510 yr by baboon

Sounds like a turf war over who gets to watch you in Europe.

I am still working on why the h#ll they let them in in the first place. So no real comment here.

I am still working on why the h#ll they let them in in the first place. So no real comment here.

It's probably something lame like starting illegal wars in Iraq, arming the jihadis in Syria and turning Libya back to the stone age thereby allowing warlords to arrange shipment of Africans across the Med.

When you break something you are usually liable for the consequences.

BuaBS, you're completely right.

It is declared policy of German health service leader Karsten Vilmar and others to get rid of the elderly, starting with those that left Europe.

European pensioners in Thailand should make it as expensive as possible for them.

But please don't blame refugees, it's certainly not their fault.

Sounds more like a blessing than a catastrophe.

On the positive side,

At least the gene pool will benefit.

cue the pics of frozen little kiddies

[Middle East/EU] Due to upcoming winter European Comission mulls to rename refugees as 'skitourists' in a bid to lure more members to take them in.

The EU are not the smartest lot in the Paddock,What is the good of warning of a Catastrophe,,,Self Inflicted ,,,If they Never Let them in than there wouldn't a Problem )

I see there is no mention of any catastrophe facing the legions of elderly Europeans who will be struggling once again to heat their homes and generally make ends meet on their meagre pensions. They clearly don't seem to count. Thanks for all you have done and all you have paid in over the years, folks, now piss off...

That's just what they want . When elderly die : no more pension payout , no more expensive medical care and a heavy TAX on their property & money from inheritance. For governments , elderly have nothing to contribute , letting them die as soon as possible is a win win win ! The young imigrants are the new tax payers (so they think...).

My hometown has just housed the first 12 of 50 Syrian families. I am sure some of these senior citizens will be as delighted as everyone else to learn they want for nothing: complimentary TVs, carpets, washing machines, fridges, full health and social security benefits and free transport to the mosque... Cancer sufferers in the UK get £133 a week to live on, TV not included. Something certainly stinks somewhere...

Update: 2 days in and the bathroom showers are not to their liking, so the council is replacing them at £1000 a pop for the shower and installation.

Mrs. Baboon thinks I am simply making all this up...

Edited November 11, 201510 yr by baboon