The European Parliament has endorsed today the emergency plan proposed by the EC President Jean-Claude Juncker regarding compulsory refugee quotas for the member states.
Authorities in Bucharest however insist for voluntary quotas saying that Romania cannot receive a larger number of refugees than its current national capacity.
Romania’s Foreign Minister explained there are no sanctions for those countries who might reject the numbers established in Brussels. Bogdan Aurescu pointed out that quotas announced yesterday actually represent just a starting point for future negotiations:
Bogdan Aurescu: These are just proposals. They are to be discussed, negociated, agreed upon by member states. The first stage of this process will take place on September 14th at the extraordinary reunion of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. I have not taken notice of any sanctions mentioned in the EC plan. It contains a suggestion that countries which cannot accommodate refugees on their territory at this point for objective reasons should instead pay financial compensations worth 0.002 percent of the GDP. But this element is also subject to further negotiations.
President Klaus Iohannis has also reiterated today Romania’s decision to reject compulsory quotas, considering this bureaucratic method as inappropriate.
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