EU Interior Ministers Discuss Migration Issues in Sofia

The first informal council on justice and home affairs within the Bulgarian EU Presidency is held in the National Palace of Culture in Sofia on 25^th of January. The interior ministers of the member states are discussing the reform of the pan-European migration system and the integrated management of the external borders. Bulgaria’s Interior Minister Valentin Radev, who chairs the council, said that Bulgaria's goal is to study the Member States' views on completing the migration reform.

Reform of the European Migration System, more efficient management of migration flows - external and internal, more effective security at the EU's external borders are the three main topics that interior ministers, the EU Commissioner for Migration and UN representatives will be discussing today.

The "hot potato" is the reform of the Dublin Regulation and the introduction of a quota system for the distribution of migrants in extreme situations. The reform was proposed by the EC and EP a year ago, but did not happen as the four countries from the Visegrad Group opposed the compulsory migrant quotas.

On entering, Minister Valentin Radev, who chairs the council, said Bulgaria would have a new approach to finding a compromise among member states. Everyone's opinion will be explored to find a solution that satisfies all member states.

EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos expressed hope that the countries will begin to act in the spirit of European solidarity, as they have done so far, on order to get out of this stalemate that has lasted for over a year. The great hopes are that by June 2018, the end of the Bulgarian EU Presidency, the EU will have a new reformed asylum system.

The UN, which also had a briefing, urged the EU to reform the asylum system and provide legal channels of migration to Europe so that the migrants do not fall into the hands of traffickers.