HOME AFFAIRS : GERMANY SUSPENDS RETURN OF REFUGEES TO GREECE.

Given the "very difficult" situation in Greece, Germany has decided to suspend returns of asylum seekers to this country, which has become a major gateway for illegal immigrants entering the European Union.

It announced the decision on 19 January. "I have decided to stop sending refugees back to Greece for one year, giving Greece time to implement its action plan" for reform of its immigration policy, confirmed German Home Affairs Minister Thomas de Maiziere, at a meeting with fellow EU ministers, on 20 January in Godollo, near Budapest.

"Greece is on the point of overload," he added. "The conditions and treatment of immigrants are equally criticisable in that country and do not correspond to human rights criteria in the EU." Berlin has said it is willing to "help" Athens to make its immigration policy - especially conditions for refugee detention - more human rights compliant, as foreseen in its action plan.

Sweden, Iceland, the United Kingdom and Norway have also decided to suspend returns to Greece.

Berlin's decision suspends the European system known as Dublin II, whereby the country of entry of asylum-seekers is the state in which the application must be registered, which explains such returns between EU states. This suspension forms part of the European Commission's proposals for enhancing solidarity on asylum in Europe. However, the asylum package is still held up in Council by a majority of states, Germany among them.

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