Merkel challenger Schulz welcomes European court's decision on migrants

Record ID: 909388

  • Title: Merkel challenger Schulz welcomes European court's decision on migrants
  • Date: 6th September 2017
  • Summary: PEOPLE APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (German) SDP CANDIDATE FOR CHANCELLORSHIP, MARTIN SCHULZ, SAYING: "I am happy about today's verdict by the European Court of Justice, which has made clear that the distribution of migrants amongst the member states of the European Union according to the principle of solidarity is legal in the way it was decided. That strengthens my long-standing position that the distribution of refugees is not a German matter as Viktor Orban - the Hungarian Prime Minister and guest of honour at CSU events - has described it. Rather it is a common European challenge and the duty of all European Union member states." CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (German) SDP CANDIDATE FOR CHANCELLORSHIP, MARTIN SCHULZ, SAYING: "I believe the verdict will be applicable immediately. That means the distribution decisions have been declared legal. If I remember correctly, Hungary is now obliged to take in some 1,920 refugees according to the criteria applied at that time. I think that is doable for that country and I expect it to happen without delay. That also applies to the other countries who have not taken in any refugees so far even though they are obliged to." GIANT LETTERS SPELLING SPD MEDIA
  • Embargoed: 20th September 2017 17:25
  • Keywords: Martin Schulz European Court of Justice ECJ ruling migrants asylum seekers SPD
  • Location: WUPPERTAL, GERMANY
  • City: WUPPERTAL, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA0056XGHR9J
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Social Democrat challenger on Wednesday (September 6) welcomed a ruling by the European Union's highest court which said EU states must accept refugees and asylum seekers.
    Speaking at a campaign event in Wuppertal, Martin Schulz said that housing refugees was a common challenge and he expected all EU member states to fulfill their obligations immediately.
    The Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice (ECJ) rejected claims by Hungary and Slovakia that it was illegal for Brussels to order them to take in hundreds of mainly Muslim refugees from Syria, which they said threatened the security and stability of their societies.
    Hungary and Poland have refused to host a single person under the 2015 sharing scheme, while Slovakia and the Czech Republic have each taken in only a dozen or so.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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