September 30, 2015

Is a bridge to Europe the answer to the refugee crisis?

editor:	Vanessa Ellingham

A provocative campaign is suggesting to build a bridge from Tunisia to Sicily to allow refugees to cross the Mediterranean safely, without the use of smugglers.

The Center for Political Beauty, which last year took busloads of EU citizens to storm the outer EU border at Hungary to mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, has proposed the 230 billion EUR construction of a bridge across the sea where thousands of migrants die each year.

The plan has been backed by the Austrian government.

In a striking promotional video, the organisation explains that the proposed bridge would not be completed until 2030. Currently they are crowdfunding to build a set of 1000 rescue platforms across the sea which people can swim to if they require rescuing - this would be the interim solution.

As of this afternoon, the campaign has raised more than 15,000 EUR in just two days and there are plans to erect the first platform tomorrow, October 1. The public is even invited to attend the launch; a boat will depart from Licata harbour in Sicily at 6.30am Thursday.

However, the Center for Political Beauty is not the only organisation looking for ways to offer safe passage to the thousands of refugees attempting to reach Europe.

Today airline Ryanair announced its plans to flout EU law, allowing refugees to board planes bound for Europe without visas - an EU requirement.

Doing so means they will face a fine of at least 3000 EUR per passenger who arrives on their airline without a visa. But they say it's a small price to pay for being able to deliver desperate people to safety.

"We will bear the entire cost of that infringement with pride," said Ryanair's marketing director Kenny Jacobs on Wednesday.

This decision could mark a major turning point in the refugee crisis if other airlines decide to follow suit.

Critics of EU immigration policy argue that one reason the EU faces a refugee 'crisis' is because many of the previously safer asylum routes to Europe have been blocked by EU law, forcing people to take the more dangerous option of hiring smugglers, resulting in more drownings.

We welcome any initiative that allows asylum seekers to reach Europe without placing their lives in danger. Hopefully one day the EU will listen up: safe passage must be made possible.

Amendment: it was discovered late this afternoon that the statement from Ryanair is a hoax. Ah well, we'll keep dreaming...

Read more on fairplanet's dossier ESCAPE