Brussels [Belgium], March 15:The European Union today called on member states to deport more migrants who cross its borders without authorization and who do not have the right to stay.
"Last year, the rate of return of persons who do not have the right to stay was only 21 percent. The unsuccessful return of people slows down our system and undermines trust in it," EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ilva Johansson said today.
Johansson added that 340,000 deportation decisions were made in EU countries last year, but that in only 60 percent of cases did the European authorities try to contact the migrants' home countries in order to return them.
"In order to protect the right to apply for asylum, we must show that we treat those who do not meet the conditions to enjoy international protection appropriately. We need migration, but it must be legal and orderly," she said.
The arrival of more than a million migrants in 2015, mostly those fleeing war in Syria or Iraq, caused one of the biggest political crises in the EU.
Johansson said the EU's border and coast guard agency was "capable" of organizing deportation flights and urged EU states to take advantage of it.
"We have a good political agreement with Bangladesh," the official pointed out and added that the flight organized by the EU Frontex police will take off tomorrow with 68 "returnees" on board.
Source: Beta News Agency
