Migration: Divisions emerge over EU deal

Details are emerging of strong differences of opinion between Europe’s leaders as they try to address the problems caused by soaring numbers of migrants.

For seven hours in Brussels, they debated the relocation of 40,000 Syrian and Eritrean refugees currently in Italy and Greece, along with another 20,000 waiting outside EU borders.

A voluntary scheme with no mandatory quotas has finally been agreed.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is not afraid to let his anger show. “If there had been no solidarity over a small number like 40,000,” he said, “this would have been an insult from Europe.”

Renzi said to have told #EUCO leaders that failure to receive 40k migrants would mean ‘they don’t deserve to be called Europe’ #migrationEU— Europe Decides (@EuropeDecides) 26 Juin 2015


Migration is an acute issue for Hungary, where thousands enter by land from the east. The country, along with Bulgaria, has been granted an exemption from the new deal. The UK has opted out completely