The countries of the European Union (EU) began this Sunday to organize the reception of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing from the offensive initiated by Russiaand discussed the possible granting of temporary protection.
It is estimated that about 300,000 Ukrainians have already left their country, mostly heading for Polandfrom the start of hostilities, and the States EU members They are now discussing a coordinated response to the challenge.
gathered in Brusselsthe European interior ministers exhibited a “vast majority” in favor of implementing a Temporary Protection Directiveadopted in 2002 but in practice never used.
This initiative contemplates the granting of temporary protection to displaced persons from neighboring countries to the EU, and its subsequent distribution among the members of the bloc.
Ukrainians with biometric passport they can enter EU territory for up to three months without a visa, but the EU is seeking to define a broader response.
The European Commissioner for the Interior, ylva johanssonsaid “the time is right” to implement that directive.
Belgium is one of the countries that promoted its immediate implementation.
Arriving at the meeting in Brussels, the Minister of the Interior of that country, Sammy Mahdi, defended the application of the directive to “guarantee protection at a European level”. “We are a historic moment for the EU,” she said.
In order to be implemented, the mechanism requires the vote of 15 of the 27 member countries and that they represent at least 65% of the bloc’s population.
Johansson said he would prepare a formal proposal to activate the directive, to be presented to a meeting of interior ministers at another meeting scheduled for next Thursday.
The official explained that at the moment the Ukrainians who enter the European territory find refuge in the houses of friends or relatives, and that only a “limited number” of these people present a request for asylum.
Johansson announced that he will travel on Monday to the border between Romania and Ukraine to verify on the ground the priority needs of the displaced.