ENG
Some 22 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from 11 member states have submitted a request for a parliamentary interrogation on a serious situation as concerns the living conditions of migrants, as reported by several NGOs and media outlets. ”The situation is serious. We are asking the European Commission what initiatives it plans to take to monitor the dramatic conditions of migrants on the border between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and to ensure that their fundamental rights are respected,” Italian MEP Elly Schlein said.
‘Commission should monitor reception funds’
”Thousands of migrants,” Schlein said, ”are in the cities of Bihac and Velika Kladusa. According to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and other NGOs, they are living in inadequate facilities and lack sufficient basic medical assistance. Bosnia-Herzegovina receives EU funds for migration, including 1.5 million allocated in June and another 6 million in August, with which it should be providing appropriate reception. This is why we are asking the Commission to monitor how those funds are used.”
Investigate theft and violence
The request asks for information on the theft and systematic violence that several eyewitnesses have said are perpetrated by Croatian authorities against migrants on that border and that were reported by the British daily The Guardian in August. ”If confirmed, these would be unacceptable violations. We have asked the Commission whether it is aware of the violence reported and what measures it intends to adopt to ensure respect for fundamental rights, including those of requesting asylum in the EU. We have asked, also,” Schlein said, ”whether Frontex units are on the border.”
In addition to Schlein, the following MEPs signed the document: Cofferati (Italy, S&D); Keller (Germany, Greens) ; Forenza (Italy, GUE); Spinelli (Italy, GUE); Viotti (Italy, S&D); Kyenge (Italy, S&D); Zanonato (Italy, S&D); Sargentini (the Netherlands, Greens); Lopez Aguilar (Spain, S&D); Sippel (Germany, S&D); Ernst (Germany, GUE); Mamikins (Latvia, S&D); Moraes (UK, S&D); Urban Crespo (Spain, GUE); Kyrkos (Greece, S&D); Koster (Germany, S&D); Post (Sweden, S&D); Vergiat (France, GUE); Guillame (France, S&D); Gomes (Portugal, S&D); Weidenholzer (Austria, S&D).
