Budapest – ESI at workshop on Central European perspectives on migration

23 September 2021
ESI’s Kristof Bender debating how to control external borders in Budapest. Photo: KAS​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
ESI’s Kristof Bender debating how to control external borders in Budapest. Photo: KAS

ESI’s deputy chairman Kristof Bender participated in a workshop on "Central European Perspectives on Migration”, organised by the Vienna office of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung on 23 and 24 September in Budapest. Kristof gave the introductory presentation in the panel on “Securing the external borders”.

He outlined how a coalition of EU member states could establish a system allowing to control the EU's external borders in a humane way, without systematic pushbacks and violence. This has already worked with the EU-Turkey statement which should be urgently renewed, including better and more efficient structures for arrivals on the Greek islands. A coalition of interested EU member states should aim to establish similar partnerships with Tunisia and Morocco. 

Hungary’s parliament in Budapest. Photo: Kristof Bender/ESI​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Hungary’s parliament in Budapest. Photo: Kristof Bender/ESI