AFP, Vienna :
UN chief Ban Ki-moon hit out on Thursday at what he called “increasingly restrictive” refugee policies in Europe as the continent faces its worst migrant crisis in decades.
Ban also said he was “alarmed by the growing xenophobia here” and elsewhere in Europe, in a speech to the Austrian parliament.
“I am concerned that European countries are now adopting increasingly-restrictive immigration and refugee policies,” Ban told lawmakers.
“Such policies negatively affect the obligation of member states under international humanitarian law and European law. Divisiveness and marginalisation hurt individuals and undermine security.”
His comments came a day after the Austrian parliament adopted one of Europe’s toughest asylum laws, as the country’s centrist government struggles to halt the surging far-right whose candidate won the first round of presidential polls on April 24.
The hotly-disputed legislation allows the government to declare a “state of emergency” if migrant numbers suddenly rise and reject most asylum seekers at the border, including those from war-torn countries like Syria.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon hit out on Thursday at what he called “increasingly restrictive” refugee policies in Europe as the continent faces its worst migrant crisis in decades.
Ban also said he was “alarmed by the growing xenophobia here” and elsewhere in Europe, in a speech to the Austrian parliament.
“I am concerned that European countries are now adopting increasingly-restrictive immigration and refugee policies,” Ban told lawmakers.
“Such policies negatively affect the obligation of member states under international humanitarian law and European law. Divisiveness and marginalisation hurt individuals and undermine security.”
His comments came a day after the Austrian parliament adopted one of Europe’s toughest asylum laws, as the country’s centrist government struggles to halt the surging far-right whose candidate won the first round of presidential polls on April 24.
The hotly-disputed legislation allows the government to declare a “state of emergency” if migrant numbers suddenly rise and reject most asylum seekers at the border, including those from war-torn countries like Syria.
