Brussels – On Thursday, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska urged for “maximum caution and maximum respect” regarding fundamental rights, emphasizing the importance of not implementing measures that could jeopardize the right to asylum. His remarks came after the European Commission released a communication addressing the instrumentalization of migrants, which could potentially lead to certain restrictions.
Upon arriving at the European Council of Interior Ministers, Grande-Marlaska stated that the Commission’s text required thorough and calm examination. He underscored that “for Spain, as we have consistently maintained, the right to asylum and refuge is fundamental,” considering it “a key pillar of democracy” and reflecting “the values that define the European Union.” In this context, he highlighted the importance of exercising “maximum caution and maximum respect for fundamental rights.”
The Minister insisted that the communication must be subjected to careful scrutiny within a framework that respects fundamental rights. He reiterated that “the right to access international asylum protection is essential and individual” for Spain.
This week’s communication is rooted in the assertion that Russia and Belarus are “exploiting” individuals in a “hybrid war” as a political strategy aimed at destabilizing the EU and threatening the security of the Schengen area and the Union at large. The goal is to prevent these nations from misusing the right to asylum for such purposes.
During the presentation, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, mentioned that “in exceptional situations, countries may impose limitations on asylum rights, but these must adhere to strict conditions and legal parameters, be genuinely exceptional, temporary, proportional, and specified for defined cases, always grounded in security concerns.”
Furthermore, addressing the Member States that have temporarily halted the processing of asylum applications from Syrian nationals due to the current situation in the country, the Spanish minister remarked that “it is vital to remain extremely cautious and avoid any actions that could undermine their right to asylum and refuge.”
He concluded, “We are in a very early phase, and our view suggests that we should refrain from taking measures that might weaken such an important right as international protection.” (December 12)
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