By: Sara Bertoncelj / Nova24TV
The Chairman of the Committee on the Interior, Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Branko Grims, who gave an introductory presentation as part of the first panel of the conference entitled “The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Migration and Asylum Policy”, also participated in the second high-level inter-parliamentary conference on migration and asylum policy via video link. On the social network, he revealed that his introduction was met with an extremely positive response from MPs from the Visegrád Group member states, especially from Hungarian MP Monika Bartos. “Of course, there was not so much enthusiasm among the leftists,” he added.
On Monday, June 14th, 2021, the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Igor Zorčič, attended the second high-level inter-parliamentary conference on migration and asylum policy, organised by the European Parliament and the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic. The conference was opened with introductory speeches by the President of the European Parliament David-Maria Sassoli, the President of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia Igor Zorčič, and the President of the German Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble. The keynote address was given by Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for promoting the European way of life. The conference was further divided into two panels, in which MPs and guests discussed and exchanged views on the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on migration and asylum policy, and on the external dimension of migration and asylum policy. The conference was also attended by the chairman of the Committee on Internal Affairs, Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Branko Grims, who gave an introductory presentation as part of the first panel of the conference entitled The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Migration and Asylum Policy.
“I was the keynote speaker and co-moderator of the first panel of the high level inter-parliamentary conference on migration and asylum policy of the European Union, which took place in cooperation with the European Parliament and the Commission and was attended by all parliaments of European Union member states,” said SDS MP Branko Grims. He emphasised at the conference that the European Union does not need any mass migration, but a better family policy so that families can choose for more children. He said that only in this way will we preserve true European values and European civilisation and all the richness of traditions and cultures of the European nations and nation-states that make it up. The European Union, its institutions and the institutions of the Member States must strictly respect all applicable law, including the Dublin Agreement. If the European Union and all its members had strictly complied with the applicable law, there would be no problem with illegal migration at all. The European Union must close and defend its external borders against illegal migration. As it has not been successful enough so far, new borders have grown within the previously unified Schengen area. Every official in the European Union and its countries must, first and foremost, take care of security and well-being, as well as the personal integrity and respect for the human rights of the citizens of the Member States of the European Union.
Concern for security and well-being, as well as personal integrity and respect for the human rights of EU citizens, is paramount
“No right of any foreigner can be above this,” Grims was adamant, stressing that any vote on this sensitive issue was unacceptable. “It will be necessary to reach a consensus. Even in the drafting of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which is not acceptable to me in the current text! Any imposition from Brussels only strengthens the forces that are tearing the European Union to pieces. Europe must return to its original, true values. Only mutual respect and equal treatment of all components will preserve and strengthen the European Union. That is why consensus is the only right way,” he was clear. He then announced on the social network that his introduction had met with an extremely positive response from MPs from the Visegrád Group member states, especially from Hungarian MP Monika Bartos (FIDESZ). Of course, there was not so much enthusiasm among the leftists.