European Home Affairs Commissioner
Ylva Johansson has expressed optimism that EU interior ministers
will reach a final agreement on new rules for migration
management within the bloc at a home affairs council meeting in
Brussels on Thursday.
"Progress has been made and I am optimistic that an agreement
can be found today on the last tranche of the Migration Pact,"
Johansson told reporters before the start.
"Afterwards we can begin the trialogues," she added, referring
to the interinstitutional negotiations between the European
Parliament, the Council and the Commission for the adoption of
EU legislation.
"As with other chapters of the Pact there was tension at the
beginning, but in the end we succeeded in managing" an
agreement, said Johansson.
Proposed by the European Commission in 2020, the New Pact on
Migration and Asylum aims to create a fairer, more efficient and
more sustainable migration and asylum process for the European
Union, with an emphasis on solidarity and responsibility sharing
among member states.
However, negotiations have been slow amid deep divisions within
the bloc about how to proceed, with strong opposition especially
from Hungary and Poland.
On Wednesday European Parliament President Roberta Metsola
expressed optimism that a breakthrough to end the deadlock could
come this week or next. However, in a tweet on Wednesday
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reiterated his opposition
to the Pact.
"Brussels wants to make us swallow the failed migrant pact
before the next European elections," Orban wrote on X.
"While illegal migrants attack our policemen, Brussels wants to
force us to let them in. Another crazy idea from the Brussels
bubble. We will not allow it!" he added.
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