EU fudges controversial issue of African refugees

THERE was a lot of commotion on a flight from Brussels to Budapest on Thursday when a 26-year-old Afghan refugee was being taken by Belgian police to Hungary.

Two sat either side of the man on the back row of seats on the plane while one lent over him from the row of seats in front. Another stood in the aisle, while a fifth policeman explained to the rest of the passengers why there was such a lot of noise coming from the rear.

“Under the Dublin Convention we are returning him to Hungary, the first country in the EU he entered, to have his refugee request dealt with there. We have tried three times to get him to return voluntarily but he would not. So now we have to take him there.