Copenhagen – ESI at debate on Deadly Borders and Human Rights

27 May 2022
Video: EDI

ESI’s Gerald Knaus was invited to participate in the debate: “Deadly Borders and Human Rights – Is a Humane EU Border & refugee policy possible?” organised by the European Debate Initiative.

In his presentation, Gerald argued that a renewed humane European migration policy is urgently needed as people are still drowning in the Mediterranean and there is a real danger of pushing back migrants into the sea, especially when they are sent back to Libya, where they suffer severe human rights abuses. He also stressed that illegal pushbacks are being carried out at the EU’s external land borders, such as at the Croatian border with Bosnia and the Polish border with Belarus. All of this shows the current fragile and even broken state of the European refugee protection system.

Gerald with Boris Pistorius
Photo: ESI

Gerald also spoke about the current Ukrainian refugee crisis and the solutions needed to ease the crisis, such as an airlift for refugees.

Gerald in Copenhagen
Gerald Knaus with Kaare Dybvad and Boris Pistorius. Photo: ESI

The debate also focused on the Danish proposal to processing asylum claims in third countries and if there are similar ideas in the German coalition programme.

Gerald debated with Boris Pistorus (State Minister of the Interior in Lower Saxony, leader of SPD group drafting the German coalition agreement in the field of refugees & migration) and Kaare Dybvad Bek (Danish Immigration and Integration Minister).  

debate in CPH
Photo: European Debate Initiative