While all EU members go to the polls this week, Belgians on Sunday are also voting in a general election, looking to end months of political limbo sparked after the biggest party in the governing coalition quit over Prime Minister Charles Michel's support for the U.N. migration pact.
Michel has steered a caretaker government doing only day-to-day business since December, but with the country's 8 million voters choosing from more than a dozen parties, it's likely to prove difficult to quickly form a stable coalition.
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While all EU members go to the polls this week, Belgians on Sunday are also voting in a general election, looking to end months of political limbo sparked after the biggest party in the governing coalition quit over Prime Minister Charles Michel's support for the U.N. migration pact.
The N-VA has been campaigning hard, and surveys suggest the party is too big for a future government to avoid.
Romanian musicians perform for money in a restaurant area near the European Parliament at the European quarter in Brussels, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Dutch and British voters were the first to have their say Thursday in elections for the European Parliament, starting four days of voting across the 28-nation bloc that pits supporters of deeper integration against populist euroskeptics who want more power for their national governments. (AP PhotoFrancisco Seco)
A man walks by an election poster in the window of a store in the Jewish quarter of Antwerp, Belgium, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Belgium, which has one of the oldest compulsory voting systems, will go to the polls for regional, federal and European elections on May 26, 2019. (AP PhotoVirginia Mayo)
People walk by an election poster in the window of an Asian food store in the Chinatown quarter of Antwerp, Belgium, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Belgium, which has one of the oldest compulsory voting systems, will go to the polls for regional, federal and European elections on May 26, 2019. (AP PhotoVirginia Mayo)
The Flemish N-VA party takes a hard line on migrants and pulled out of government after Michel sought parliamentary approval for the U.N. Global Compact.
People sit on the grass near to political campaign posters near the European Parliament at the European quarter in Brussels, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Dutch and British voters were the first to have their say Thursday in elections for the European Parliament, starting four days of voting across the 28-nation bloc that pits supporters of deeper integration against populist euroskeptics who want more power for their national governments. (AP PhotoFrancisco Seco)
The N-VA has been campaigning hard, and surveys suggest the party is too big for a future government to avoid.
French coffee maker Noa waits for customer outside the European Parliament at the European quarter in Brussels, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Dutch and British voters were the first to have their say Thursday in elections for the European Parliament, starting four days of voting across the 28-nation bloc that pits supporters of deeper integration against populist euroskeptics who want more power for their national governments. (AP PhotoFrancisco Seco)
Romanian musicians perform for money in a restaurant area near the European Parliament at the European quarter in Brussels, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Dutch and British voters were the first to have their say Thursday in elections for the European Parliament, starting four days of voting across the 28-nation bloc that pits supporters of deeper integration against populist euroskeptics who want more power for their national governments. (AP PhotoFrancisco Seco)
A man walks by an election poster in the window of a store in the Jewish quarter of Antwerp, Belgium, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Belgium, which has one of the oldest compulsory voting systems, will go to the polls for regional, federal and European elections on May 26, 2019. (AP PhotoVirginia Mayo)
People walk by an election poster in the window of an Asian food store in the Chinatown quarter of Antwerp, Belgium, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Belgium, which has one of the oldest compulsory voting systems, will go to the polls for regional, federal and European elections on May 26, 2019. (AP PhotoVirginia Mayo)
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The governments of eight European Union member states said Friday the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland.
In a joint statement, officials from Austria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta and Poland said they agree on a re-assessment that would lead to “more effective ways of handling” Syrian refugees trying to reach European Union countries.
The eight countries, which held talks during a summit meeting in the Cypriot capital, said the situation in Syria has “considerably evolved,” even though complete political stability hasn't been achieved.
Cyprus has in recent months seen an upsurge of Syrian refugees reaching the island nation primarily from Lebanon aboard rickety boats.
Earlier this month, the EU announced a 1 billion euro ($1.06 billion) aid package for Lebanon aimed at boosting border controls to halt the flow of asylum seekers and migrants to Cyprus and Italy.
The eight countries said the EU should further boost support for Lebanon to "mitigate the risk of even greater flows from Lebanon to the EU.”
“Decisions as to who has the right to cross a member state’s borders, should be taken by the government of the relevant member state and not by criminal networks engaged in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings,” the joint statement said.
The call comes a day afte r 15 EU member countries publicly called for the bloc to boost partnerships with countries along migratory routes in hopes of heading off attempts to reach EU countries.
The countries said that while they “fully embrace” the need to support Syrian refugees in line with international law, they hoped their talks could open a wider debate within the 27-member bloc on the process of granting the migrants international protection.
“What European citizens want from us ... are solutions, practical, realistic solutions that can be implemented,” said Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis.
Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said the United Nations' refugee agency has already “established lines of communication” with Syrian authorities regarding possible voluntary returns in line with international law.
The Cypriot minister said returns would initially be on a voluntary basis, but that could develop into forced returns at a later stage. Much more needs to be done for that to happen because the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad isn't recognized by the EU, he said.
In Lebanon, where anti-refugee sentiment has been surging recently, more than 300 Syrian refugees returned to Syria in a convoy earlier this week.
Lebanese officials have long urged the international community to either resettle the refugees in other countries or help them return to Syria.
Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, right, talks to the media during a press conference as his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, left, and Czech's Vít Rakusan stand by during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second right, talks to the media during a press conference as his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, left, Czech's Vít Rakusan, second left, and Greece's Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, right, stand by, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second left, talks with his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, left, Czech's Vít Rakusan, right, and Greece's Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second right, stand by, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, left, talks with his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, right, Czech's Vít Rakusan, second right, and Greece's Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second left, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second left, talks with his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, left, Czech's Vít Rakusan, right, and Greece's Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second right, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
