MOSCOW (Sputnik), Yulia Shamporova – Mandatory quotas for the distribution of migrants from the Middle East and North Africa throughout EU member-states will not be effective in a long-term perspective, Member of the European Parliament from the Czech Republic Martina Dlabajova told Sputnik on Thursday.
EU interior ministers on Tuesday approved a redistribution plan to relocate 120,000 refugees and asylum seekers, initiated by the European Commission.
“In my opinion, the adoption of mandatory migration quotas is a short-term and artificial solution,” Dlabajova said.
“I do feel responsible for the refugee situation. But I also feel responsible for the European youth who is currently facing many challenges, in particular, high unemployment rates,” Dlabajova said.
The quotas proposed by the European Commission, were strongly opposed by the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. They are based on various social and economic indicators, such as population, unemployment rates, economic growth and the number of asylum applications.
Member of the European Parliament from the Czech Republic Jan Keller claims that migration quotas are unfortunate and will only lead to the growth of euro-skepticism in Europe.
“Mandatory quotas imposed on all EU countries are very unfortunate. These quotas do not solve the causes of the refugee crisis and are going [to] become an invitation for more migrants. Their only result will be the weakening of the Central European governments' position and will lead to further surge of euro-skepticism,” Keller said.
“People in our countries are very sensitive when it comes to elements of compulsion…The quotas will not help refugees but will harm a government that has so far been very euro-optimistic,” Keller said.
The current migration crisis is considered to be the worst since World War II, with over half a million refugees and asylum seekers having arrived in the European Union so far this year, fleeing violence and poverty in their home countries, according to the European Commission.