Merkel defends her decision on refugees

In an interview published Sunday, the German leader stressed that if she returned, there would be nothing different in her attitude toward Syrian refugees and others who fled the wars.

According to Merkel, the decision made in 2015 had been necessary to prevent a humanitarian disaster. And yet, she acknowledged that the EU law at the time had been inadequate to manage the unprecedented influx of refugees.

It criticised the so-called “Dublin Agreement” for distributing refugees. “cannot be allowed Greece or Italy to be lonely in this crisis, only because they have such a geographic position and that refugees first arrive at these” countries, Merkel says.

Dublin's rules predict that the country responsible for a refugee is the one where the person came for the first time and applied for asylum. The Chancellor does not think refugees can actually return to Syria.

I know people are returning, even to Aleppo, but the situation in Syria in general is dramatic”.

The Chancellor also spoke about the issue of EU co-operation with Libya for refugees, targeted by criticism from human rights groups, claiming that migrants in the country subject themselves to various abuses. Merkel said she would offer the Libyan Coast Guard the necessary equipment in order to do her job. Under the current agreement, Tripoli must prevent immigrants from leaving Libyan territory.