The Lithuanian government must decide by the end of the year whether to take in 158 migrants from other European Union countries or pay around 20,000 euros for each asylum seeker it does not take in, and there is still no unified position.
Lithuanian Interior Ministry officials said that a combined approach is being considered – to take in some asylum seekers and pay a solidarity payment in other cases.
Dainors Bradauskas, a member of parliament from the Nemunas Dawn party, believes that Lithuania should refuse to take in asylum seekers and that it would be better to pay. He said that he does not think that Lithuanians need migrants. The member of parliament stressed that Lithuanian cities are safe, and the state must protect their families and “cleanliness.”
In turn, Saulius Skvernelis, the leader of the opposition party For Lithuania, said that only those migrants who do not pose a threat and would be useful to the country should be accepted. Skvernelis added that a consistent migration policy is needed, and that we should talk about people that Lithuania wants to integrate.
These are people with professional skills from a similar cultural background.
Mindaugas Sinkevičius, the chairman of the Social Democratic Party, opposed this, noting that Lithuania often asks for solidarity with it on the border issues with Russia and Belarus, and therefore the country should be open to the southern countries of the bloc, which are experiencing increased migration pressure.
Dainius Gaižauskas, a member of the State Security and Defense Commission, warned that migration carries risks, and the committee has warned about this repeatedly. The Interior Ministry said that all relocated asylum seekers will have to undergo security checks, and that Lithuania has the right to request the relocation of culturally similar migrants.
The final decision will be made by the Migration Commission, which is composed of the ministers of the interior, welfare, foreign affairs and economy, after consulting parliamentary committees.
Read the full article in English here: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2750419/accept-or-pay-up-lithuania-weighs-options-under-eu-migration-pact
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