Only with a comprehensive approach can we manage migration safely and effectively, said Commissioner of Interior Affairs on Wednesday, during a discussion at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, about the need for action on search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean. She also noted, at her closing remarks, that member-states are jointly responsible and need to participate in rescue missions. A comprehensive approach in migration, according to Johansson, takes into account preventing departures, fighting smugglers, improving legal pathways and working in close partnership with countries of origin and transit. She also spoke of the latest and deadliest shipwreck of a smugglers’ boat in Greek waters, saying that ‘there are many unanswered questions.’ She then underlined that the ongoing investigation in Greece, about the facts of the tragedy, ‘need to bring trust and confidence that the facts can be established’. The Commissioner went on to say that ‘the demonstration of violence is unacceptable’ and that ‘our first duty is to save lives’, while she mentioned that Frontex helped to save 20,000 people since the beginning of the year. ‘And any serious attempt on saving lives has to also include developing legal pathways and information campaigns along irregular routes to alert people of deadly dangers. We are supporting such campaigns in Morocco, Tunisia, Niger, Senegal, Mauritania and the Gambia’, she added. Johansson also spoke of the importance of the fight against smugglers and of anti-smuggling partnerships with Niger, with Morocco, with Tunisia. ‘We must change smuggling from a low risk, high profit crime, into a high risk, low profit crime,’ she said. Concluding, the Commissioner noted that during her visit in Lampedusa last week, where 4.000 people had arrived during a weekend, she met among the migrants young people and noted that ‘our economies need young people like these.’ Cypriot MEP, Eleni Stavrou, spoke during the discussion that followed and underlined the emergency of the issues Cyprus is confronting, due to the enormous rise in arrivals. She mentioned that Cyprus received 50% of the immigrants that arrived in EU in 2022 and spoke of the instrumentalization of migration by Turkey, as well as of dangers for Cyprus’ demographic identity.

Source: Cyprus News Agency