The European Union: “No money to buy fences on the external borders” | Abroad

“I have to work with the budget that Member States and the European Parliament have given me. That means there’s very little room to add things if you’re not willing to stop doing other things, the money is already earmarked,” Johansson said, noting that the budget is multi-year From 2021 to 2027 saw significant cuts to immigration and border security budgets.

Johansson explained that priorities such as interoperability and digitization were identified in European funding for external border control. “It may be your dream to get paid by the Commission for everything, but that is not the case,” said the European Commissioner. According to it, member states are best placed to decide how to protect external borders, in accordance with European rules and fundamental rights.

The debate has been going on for some time at the European level. In October 2021, 12 member states asked the Commission to fund the construction of such closures, but the Commission has repeatedly refused to respond to these requests.

The issue resurfaced again when Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer visited the border between Bulgaria and Turkey on Monday, where a barrier has been erected to prevent the flow of migrants. He expressed support for Bulgarian President Roman Radev’s request to the Commission for “two billion euros to extend this lockdown.”

said Nehammer, who wants to put the matter on the table at the European Summit of Heads of State and Government. On the 9th and 10th of February in Brussels.

Facing a sharp increase in asylum applications, Austria blocked Bulgaria and Romania from joining the Schengen Area in December over fears of a further surge in migrant arrivals.