Romania will this year take in refugees who are currently accommodated in the EU, and following talks to this effect, it has been agreed on a number of 160 persons from Italy and 135 from Greece, said head of the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Police Principal Quaestor Viorel Vasile, after the presentation of the IGI 2015 activity report.
“Last year the decision was made at EU level for Romania to participate in the relocation of refugees from Italy and Greece. At present, following discussions with the two countries, we agreed on a number of 160 persons from Italy and 135 from Greece. We forwarded letters of intent, the necessary checkups have been performed, we expect these persons to be sent to Romania. It all depends now on the colleagues from the two countries,” Viorel Vasile said.
In his opinion, IGI is prepared to conduct the interviews and assess asylum applications, both with the existing specialised staff and with additional personnel, trained in 2015.
“Moreover, measures have been taken to supplement the 950 accommodation places in the 6 asylum centres. At present, the occupancy rate is 11 percent, which means we have a quite safe margin. We can further supplement, as I have said, with a few more places and in the coming period I will present the leaders of the Interior Ministry the result of the assessment I ordered, so that we can also propose short-term measures, but also long-term solutions, for Romania to be able to cope, if necessary, with a massive immigrant flow,” the IGI head showed. More…