(AP) A large majority of European Union member countries have refused to back a plan to quickly get migrants off boats in the Mediterranean Sea and distribute them among willing EU partners.
At a meeting of EU interior ministers, only Ireland, Luxembourg and Portugal offered to take part in the “fast-track” plan drawn up by Germany, France, Italy and Malta, which would screen migrants, relocate asylum-seekers and return people who do not apply or qualify for asylum, all within four weeks.
“We were seven yesterday, seven this morning and seven this evening. So things haven’t changed much,” said a downbeat Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg’s minister responsible for migration. “Why us, and why no one else?”
