UN”s Ban Ki-moon condemns EU migrant curbs

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has criticised “increasingly restrictive” policies on migrants in Europe. In a speech to the Austrian parliament, he said such curbs ran counter to member countries’ international duties. He was speaking a day after Austrian MPs approved a draft law restricting asylum rights and allowing most claims to be rejected at […]

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has criticised “increasingly restrictive” policies on migrants in Europe.
In a speech to the Austrian parliament, he said such curbs ran counter to member countries’ international duties.
He was speaking a day after Austrian MPs approved a draft law restricting asylum rights and allowing most claims to be rejected at the border.
The European Union, including Austria, is struggling to cope with a huge influx of mainly Syrian migrants.
“I am concerned that European countries are now adopting increasingly restrictive immigration and refugee policies,” Mr Ban told MPs in Vienna.
“Such policies negatively affect the obligation of member states under international humanitarian law and European law.”
Mr Ban did not name any country but, given the venue, the speech has been widely interpreted as being aimed at least in part at Austria, correspondents say.