EU ‘has surrendered complete control of its borders to people smugglers’
Austria's Foreign minister Sebastian Kurz warned his country may have to act on its own to tackle sky-high migration
THE EUROPEAN UNION has surrendered complete control of its borders to people smugglers - Austria’s Foreign Minister has blasted.
In an astonishing blast Sebastian Kurz said gangs and traffickers now decided who comes to the EU – and warned his country may have to act on its own to tackle sky-high migration.
He said: “We have lost control.
“At the moment we, the EU, do not decide who comes to Europe, the people smugglers do.”
The comments came after a meeting in Luxembourg where a trio of Austria politicians begged the EU to step up its efforts to solve the humanitarian crisis facing the bloc.
Mr Kurz and two colleagues called for a radical Australian style approach where migrants crossing the Med would not be allowed to leave the islands they reach.
Migrants and asylum seekers who make the crossing would eventually be returned to “migration centres” in third party countries in Africa – where their claims could be processed.
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Details of Monday’s meeting emerged yesterday with Britain’s Referendum on a knife edge as panic over uncontrolled immigration.
Crime fighting agencies Interpol and Europol believe people smugglers made £3.5 billion from the wave of migration into southern Europe last year.
About a million migrants entered the EU in 2015, paying up to £4,600 to board a boat.
The blast follows scenes of complete chaos in Calais after hundreds of stone-throwing migrants shouting “F*** the UK” tried to board ferries to Britain in a violent rampage on Monday night.
French authorities were forced to seal off the port as police rushed to put up barriers.
People caught up in the chaos said cars were being “stoned” by migrants as they sat in traffic unable to move.
UKIP’s defence spokesman Mike Hookhem said the violence was linked directly to the Referendum.
He claimed: “Economic migrants congregating in Calais know that if Britain votes to leave the EU can take control of our borders.
“That is why they are so desperate to get to the UK should we vote to save our country on Thursday.”
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