PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, 7 March 2017
Commenting on the decision by the European Court of Justice on the case of a Syrian family from the city of Aleppo who applied for a visa to stay with acquaintances in Belgium, European Green Party Co-Chairs Monica Frassoni and Reinhard Bütikofer said:
“The decision of the Court of Justice in a case invoking the issuing of humanitarian visas is worrying and deeply deplorable. It weakens European core values and disregards Human Rights obligations.
“We regret also that this decision is taken in sharp contrast with the opinion of the Advocate General Mengozzi, which had noted that 'in a time when borders are closing and walls are been built all across Europe and outside of it, Member States cannot escape their responsibilities'. In addition to that, he had warned in his opinion that the refusal to issue the humanitarian visa will have the direct consequence of exposing persons seeking international protection to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment.
“We are absolutely amazed that the Court decided to interpret current rules in a bureaucratic and limiting way, disregarding the substance of the matter, thereby reinforcing the arguments of those considering that there is no space for a EU wide area of human and civic rights.”
- ENDS -
Eliana Capretti
Head of Communications and Press
