Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 January 2021
136. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the assistance being provided by Ireland and the EU to Bosnia’s response to the humanitarian migrant crisis on the Bosnia and Croatia border; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4919/21]
View answerI was deeply saddened to hear of the destruction of the Lipa migrant centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of last year and the vulnerable and unacceptable living conditions for the displaced migrants.
The EU has engaged with all actors from the start of this current crisis and for months has called on the authorities to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. After concerted EU outreach, on New Year’s Eve, the armed forces of BiH were deployed to provide emergency tents and assistance. EU Ambassadors and Special Representative Johann Sattler have been meeting with the Minister of Security of BiH to discuss urgent solutions and address basic needs to provide humane conditions. Our Ambassador in Ljubljana, who is accredited to Bosnia-Herzegovina, has also been keeping in close touch with the Bosnian authorities and with the EUSR's Office regarding this situation.
The EU has consistently supported Bosnia and Herzegovina to address the needs of migrants and refugees and to strengthen border and asylum management. The European Commission provided financial support of more than €88 million, fully equipped the Bira Migrant Reception Centre which is currently unused, and in early January announced a further €3.5 million in humanitarian aid to help refugees and migrants. The BiH authorities must respond in a nationally coordinated manner to the crisis now unfolding and we support HRVP Borrell’s call for Bosnia-Herzegovina to uphold its international human rights obligations. BiH must live up to the responsibilities that come with being an aspiring EU member. The capacity and resources are there to deal with this issue and they must be used.
It is imperative that we ensure all migrants seeking asylum in the EU are afforded decent treatment and humane living conditions during the entire application process, whether in the EU or in our partner countries. To achieve this goal, the European Commission proposed last September a new Pact on Migration and Asylum. Ireland welcomes this initiative as an opportunity to renew and intensify efforts to put in place more effective and humane arrangements to manage migratory pressures. We will continue to do our part and participate constructively in trying to find sustainable solutions involving consensus among Member States and based on a balance of solidarity and responsibility.
