MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — The European Union should step up its efforts to foster peace and economic development in the Middle East and Africa instead of allocating billions of euro for immigrant welfare and tightened security at home, a French lawmaker told Sputnik.
"Instead of spending billions of euros trying to accommodate refugees, Europe needs to step up and help their countries to develop economically as many of those who arrived are economic migrants; they simply want a better life for themselves and their children," Nicolas Dhuicq said.
More or less the same amount has been earmarked for EU refugee programs in Germany alone, which will be spent primarily on security and social expenditure such as German language courses, assistance in finding a legal job, Nahles said.
Germany is one of several EU countries reeling from the rapidly escalating migrant crisis, as record numbers of migrants flee conflicts and poverty in the Middle East and North and Sub-Saharan Africa in the hope of finding refuge in the European Union, which has a reputation for tolerance, a robust economy, and a dynamic job market.
