Strasbourg, 16 May 2017 – One of the agenda items of the today’s plenary session in Strasbourg was how to make relocation happen within the European policy on migration and asylum. MEP Željana Zovko joined the discussion and commented that the countries recipients of refugees must not be left on their own without any support, considering that a huge number of refugees poses a potential threat to social situation and security of the country recipient. This year Zovko was on a mission to Pakistan and Lebanon as a member of the EP Committee of Foreign Affairs and Development Committee, when she had an opportunity to visit the refugees’ camps in these countries, which accommodated 1.6 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon and 3 million refugees from Afghanistan in Pakistan.
“I strongly believe in looking for a permanent solution for the refugees’ crisis at its very source. Furthermore, additional aid must be provided to the countries recipients of refugees, which are actually preventing further outflow of refuges towards the European Union borders. I am referring to Lebanon, the country which received almost 1.6 million Syrian refugees, almost a half of the country’s population. Care must be taken not to disturb the already particularly sensitive multi-confessional structure of the country. Another thing, particular attention must be devoted to, is to secure access to education to girls, in order to set a basis for a healthier and more secure society in that area.” – stressed Zovko.