{UAH} Migrants crisis: Slovakia 'will only accept Christians'

Comrade Akim Odong/Robukui/ Rajab Ali,

What would you say to these former East European countries refusing to
accept muslim refugees/ migrants under the Quota sytem devised by the
EU? Some of these countries like Slovakia, Czech Republic and Bulgaria
have never lived side by side with Muslims and all they are told is
that Muslims are terrorists who will never integrate in any country
they move to. How can the EU confront these fears, without just
dismissing them as right-wing propaganda?


Migrants crisis: Slovakia 'will only accept Christians'
19 August 2015From the section Europe
EU leaders have failed to decide how the 40,000 arrivals will be
distributed between countries
Slovakia says it will only accept Christians when it takes in Syrian
refugees under a EU relocation scheme.

The country is due to receive 200 people from camps in Turkey, Italy
and Greece under the EU plan to resettle 40,000 new arrivals.

Interior ministry spokesman Ivan Netik said Muslims would not be
accepted because they would not feel at home.

The UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) called on countries to take an
"inclusive approach" to relocation.

But Mr Netik denied the move was discriminatory and said it was
intended to ensure community cohesion.

'Not going to like it'
The number of migrants at the EU's borders has surged in recent
months, reaching a record high of 107,500 in July. Most are Syrians,
Afghans, and sub-Saharan Africans, fleeing instability or poverty.

Refugees pray at a Greek Orthodox church on the Greek island of
Lesbos. About 10% of Syria's population were Christian before the
country's conflict started
Last month, EU member states agreed to take in 32,000 asylum seekers
arriving in Italy and Greece over the next two years - fewer than the
40,000 target.

The scheme was made voluntary after some nations - including Slovakia
- refused to accept set quotas.

Mr Netik told the BBC: "We want to really help Europe with this
migration wave but... we are only a transit country and the people
don't want to stay in Slovakia.

"We could take 800 Muslims but we don't have any mosques in Slovakia
so how can Muslims be integrated if they are not going to like it
here?"

EU Commission spokeswoman Annika Breithard said she could not comment
directly on the Slovak statement, but stressed that EU states were
banned from any form of discrimination.

Meanwhile Babar Baloch, Central Europe spokesman for the UNHCR, said:
"Resettlement is greatly needed for many refugees who are at extreme
risk among the world's most vulnerable groups.

"We encourage governments to take an inclusive approach while
considering refugees for resettlement and should not base their
selection on discrimination."

More than 240,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean already this
year, arriving on the shores of Greece and Italy before travelling on
to other destinations.

Germany, the biggest recipient of asylum-seekers in the EU, has said
it could receive as many as 800,000 applicants this year.

The numbers are far higher than the record 438,000 asylum applications
in 1992 during the Bosnian crisis.

Both the EU and the UN have called on other countries to share the burden.

But EU leaders face a public backlash amid tensions over immigration.

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