Xavier Bettel and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker exchange views in Salzburg, 20 September 2018 ME

Xavier Bettel and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker exchange views in Salzburg, 20 September 2018 ME

Xavier Bettel (DP) has issued a renewed call for EU leaders to find “an appropriate European solution” to the migration challenge faced by the bloc. At the informal dinner of EU leaders on Wednesday evening, Bettel said that migration is not an issue that will just disappear.

“We have to help the young Africans to develop some perspective for their life,” he said. We have to do our best to understand the underlying causes of migration. Because, believe me, even with the best management of the EU’s external borders we will never be capable of conquering the despair of millions of young Africans."

The prime minister did stress, however, that the internal security of the EU starts at its external borders. He said he expressed his “sincere hope that progress can be made that would allow EU countries to once again abolish checks at internal borders and to return towards the normal functioning of Schengen.”