New EU measures to ease migration crisis

Addressing the root causes of migration at the same time with its effects is the main decision taken by European Union leaders at two important meetings held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels, the Justice and Home Affairs Council and the European Council.

"It is obvious that if we want to manage the migration phenomenon efficiently we must first go to its roots, that is the crisis areas, such as Syria, and do our best to put an end to the conflict and reinstate peace in those areas", Romania's president Klaus Iohannis said at the end of the meeting.

The European Union cannot do this by itself, but it surely can contribute. Thus, the EU leaders have pledged to grant an additional sum of at least 1 billion euros to the UN agencies supporting the refugees in Syria's neighbouring countries, such as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.

Most of the amount will go to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to the World Food Programme.

Under this programme, Romania will contribute 300,000 euros over the next three years.

Another measure was to strengthen the EU's external borders, as, according to the European Council President, Donald Tusk, the proper management and control of EU borders is a joint responsibility of the member states.

Otherwise, the Schengen border-free area itself may be at risk.

Another decision taken by the European leaders is that the so-called "hotspots", the EU-run reception centres in frontline member states such as Italy and Greece, where asylum applications are processed, will become operational at the end of November.

A number of reception centres have already been set up, but they can only function under strict rules in order to be considered "hotspots".

It is from these centres that people considered illegal migrants will be sent back to their countries of origin while the asylum-seekers will be relocated to other member states.

In Romania, the deputy prime minister and interior minister, Gabriel Oprea will be in charge of coordinating the reception of refugees.

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta has given assurances that all relevant government structures will get involved in solving the situation, while also taking a jibe at the way in which the Hungarian authorities have handled the refugee crisis.

"I want to make it clear that the government is getting ready to take all necessary measures. This is what I describe an European and balanced approach to the situation, which is very different from the xenophobic and chauvinistic attitude of our neighbours", Victor Ponta said.

Following the decision taken at Wednesday's Extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council, 120,000 refugees will be relocated among EU member states.

Although it has repeatedly stated that it can only accommodate 1,785 refugees, Romania will now have to take in another 2,475.