Page 9 - ATD 16Jan2016

WORLD NEWS 9
Saturday 16 January 2016

EU chief says Europe’s reputation hurt over refugee effort

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, left, and European Council President Don- Europe was known as a currently blocking a multi-
ald Tusk participate in a media conference after an EU summit in Brussels. Juncker warned Friday wealthy, admirable conti- billion euro fund for Syrian
the EU’s reputation is being tarnished by the failure of member countries to manage the refugee nent but that “now we do refugees in Turkey, insisting
emergency. appear as being the weak- the money be paid entirely
est part, and the poorest from EU coffers rather than
(AP Photo/Francois Walschaerts) part of the world.” by member countries.
Juncker said he was em- Dutch Finance Minister Je-
LORNE COOK The numbers have over- able “that certain mem- barrassed explaining Eu- roen Dijsselbloem said Fri-
rope’s migrant problems day after chairing a meet-
Associated Press whelmed border authori- ber states say they are not to leaders of countries like ing of EU counterparts in
Jordan or Lebanon, which Brussels that Italy had not
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- ties and reception cen- going to accept refugees are hosting more than two lifted objections to the way
million refugees. the 3 billion euro ($3.3 bil-
pean Union’s reputation is ters, particularly in Greece in their countries. That is “Less arrogance and more lion) fund should be paid
performance, that’s got to “but we hope that that is
being tarnished by the fail- and Italy. An EU plan was not possible.” He said that be our watchword for the possible very, very soon.”
future,” he told reporters in Italy’s Economy Minister Pier
Brussels at a year-opening Carlo Padoan said Rome
press conference. supports Turkey’s efforts to
Part of the EU effort is to manage two million Syr-
stop people leaving Turkey ian refugees on its soil but
for Greece, and a pack- wants to clarify “if there’s
age of incentives has been still space in the EU bud-
rolled out to persuade get so the 3 billion can be
the Turkish authorities to covered without member
do more. However, Italy is states’ contributions.” q

ure of member countries to drawn up and launched

manage the refugee emer- in September to share

gency, European Commis- 160,000 potential refu-

sion President Jean-Claude gees in those two coun-

Juncker warned Friday. tries among EU partners,

More than one million peo- but fewer than 300 people

ple arrived in Europe in 2015 have been processed.

seeking sanctuary or jobs. Juncker said it is unaccept-

Refugees banned from German
pool over claims of harassment

FRANK JORDANS rassment by men living in
Associated Press a nearby asylum-seeker
BERLIN (AP) — A town in shelter. He said none of the
western Germany has complaints were on the
banned male refugees criminal level and the pool
from a swimming pool after had agreed the ban would
complaints of harassment end once social workers
from female bathers and confirmed the men “got
staff — news that comes the message.”
as a national poll Friday Bornheim is a few kilome-
showed that Germans ters (miles) south of Co-
are becoming increas- logne, which saw hundreds
ingly concerned about of robberies and sexual
the country’s ability to inte- assaults during New Year’s
grate the huge numbers of celebrations that police
asylum-seekers who arrived blamed largely on for-
last year. eigners. The attacks have
Markus Schnapka, who stoked a fierce debate in
heads the social affairs Germany about how to in-
department in Bornheim, tegrate the almost 1.1 mil-
said other visitors had lion asylum-seekers who ar-
complained of sexual ha- rived last year.q