Member States in the European
Union, including Germany, should better share in the
distribution of migrants across the continent, Martin Schulz,
the president of the European Parliament, said Thursday.
He added that his homeland of Germany must also take a
greater share of newcomers to Europe.
"On the issue of immigration, we definitely need a European
solution," Schulz said on the sidelines of celebrations ahead of
Liberation Day, marked in Italy on Friday.
"We will have to share distribution in Europe," he said.
Germany has taken in refugees, but southern States such as
Italy, Spain and Greece, "are in a difficult situation," he
said.
"I will say to my fellow Germans that Germany must make a
contribution".
Immigration is a sensitive issue in Italy, which is on the
front lines of waves of illegal migrants fleeing North Africa
and the Middle East for Europe and who first arrive on Italy's
most southerly shores.
Last week, Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said
that to date this year, more than 20,500 migrants have already
landed on Italy's coasts - an enormous increase over the 2,500
reported during the same period in 2013.
Since he spoke, hundreds more have arrived heightening the
concerns for Italy about the cost of rescue missions and
emergency migrant shelters.
Meanwhile, Schulz also said that next month's European
Parliament elections will be an important gauge of the power of
euroskeptic forces, adding that he understands why many voters
are feeling frustrated by lingering economic weakness and high
joblessness.
In particular, "youth unemployment is dramatic and we need
to do something about it immediately," he said.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
