13 International Friday, June 29, 2018 Italy threatens to throw EU migration summit into chaos ‘Italy does not need more words, but concrete actions’ BRUSSELS: Italy’s hardline new premier threat- the summit. The bloc can decide to “overcome the ened yesterday to block a joint EU statement on challenge in a way that people in or else- migration at a summit that embattled German where believe that we are guided by our values,” Chancellor Angela Merkel warned could decide she said. Or, she added, in a manner where “no the bloc’s fate. Rome has recently refused to let one will believe in our value system that has made several migrant rescue boats dock at Italian ports, us so strong.” reviving fresh tensions despite the fact that num- bers of arrivals have dipped sharply since the ‘Really tough guys’ height of ’s migration crisis in 2015. Merkel, for years Europe’s most powerful Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who heads leader, now risks seeing her fragile coalition col- Italy’s month-old populist and anti-immigration lapse if she cannot reach migrant deals with other government, said he would refuse to endorse the countries including Italy. After allowing more than conclusions of the meeting in Brussels if fellow one million asylum seekers into since leaders fail to do more to help Italy. “Italy does 2015, Merkel faces an end-of-the-month deadline not need more words, but concrete actions,” from her own interior minister to seal pacts that Conte told reporters as he arrived at the summit. would let Germany turn back asylum seekers al- “It’s a possibility I hope not to consider, but if we ready registered in other EU states. reach that point, on my behalf we will not have EU President Donald Tusk meanwhile issued shared conclusions.” a fresh warning on the need for action on migra- MILAN: A small paper boats are pictured in front of piazza della Scala in Milan on June 27, 2018 during Italy comes to the European Union gathering tion to stave off rising populism and authoritari- a flashmob organized simultaneously in many European cities, asking the EU states to do their part, emboldened by the announcement that Conte will anism. “Some may think I am too tough in my to change the Dublin Regulation in the direction already indicated by the European Parliament and to on July 30 visit US President Donald Trump, who has proposals on migration, but trust me, if we don’t open legal and safe access routes for immigrants and refugee in all EU countries. — AFP hailed Rome’s tough stance, and who himself blocked agree on them, then you’ll see some really tough the conclusions of a recent G7 leaders meeting on proposals from some really tough guys,” the for- although the language may be weaker than she refugees from frontline Mediterranean states like trade. The EU summit is taking place amid warnings mer Polish premier added. would have hoped. Tusk warned on the eve of the Italy and Greece to other countries. The plan is that authoritarian and “anti-European” movements The leaders hope at the summit to approve summit that “the stakes are very high and time is strongly opposed by eastern European countries, will profit from any failure by the 28 leaders to deal work on migrant “disembarkation platforms” in short.” A “mini-summit” of 16 leaders in Brussels particularly the authoritarian governments of with a flare-up of tensions over migrants that has put countries outside Europe, most likely in Africa, on Sunday failed to make much headway. Hungary and Poland. The EU is rapidly moving to Merkel’s political future in the balance. according to a draft prepared by Tusk. In a bone the right on migration, a stance that is likely to “Europe has many challenges but migration to Merkel, the leaders will also agree to “closely ‘Mother of all summits’ strengthen when Austria under youthful conser- could end up determining Europe’s destiny,” cooperate” on stopping secondary movements of But there is no chance of agreement on a plan vative Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz assumes the Merkel told German lawmakers hours ahead of migrants, according to draft summit conclusions, for mandatory “burden sharing” by moving bloc’s presidency on July 1. —AFP

in Yerseke’s small church. “We can’t go on like this. For years now Small Dutch village we’ve been adding chairs and benches to try to fit everyone in. The first row is glued up against the pulpit,” said Sinke. And indeed, many others prefer to stay home and watch the proceedings on eagerly awaits the television, knowing there won’t be enough places to sit. Migration could decide “Over the past half a century, Catholic congregations in the mega-church have radically fallen. Many places of worship have EU’s ‘destiny’: Merkel closed and parishes have been merged,” said University of Ni- jmegen theology professor Peter Nissen. But the story is com- BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned yester- YERSEKE: Standing in a green field surrounded by black-and- pletely the reverse among Protestants. About 20 percent of day that the migration challenge could determine Europe’s white cows, Dutch politician Jaap Sinke surveyed the plot where Protestants still regularly attend church, compared with just six construction of a new mega-church with space for more than percent of Catholics. fate, hours ahead of a Brussels summit where EU leaders are 2,000 people will soon begin. It will be the climax of a 15-year Among the orthodox communities of the reformed church expected to clash over the way forward. “Europe has many battle for a new building to house his village’s rapidly expanding there are record attendances in places like Yerseke, where religion challenges but migration could end up determining Europe’s congregation, the likes of which many church leaders can only still represents “strong social ties,” said Nissen. The Protestant destiny,” she told German lawmakers. pray for. And it will become the largest church in the Netherlands. community “counts more than 100,000 people in the Netherlands The path the EU chooses could decide if the bloc is viewed Sinke is the local councillor for the orthodox Calvinist Re- and is growing every year by a few hundred”. Indeed Yerseke’s by others as a credible defender of the values it espouses, she formed Political Party (SGP) in the small parish of Yerseke, pop- congregation has never stopped growing, and counts about 2,300 said. Europe can decide to “overcome the challenge in a way ulation 7,000, nestling on the shores of the sea in southwest people today. Since it was built in the 1960s, the original church that people in Africa or elsewhere believe that we are guided province. Known for its and fishing, the vil- building in the centre of the village, squeezed between neighbor- by our values, and that we take a multilateral rather than a uni- lage will soon become home to the new mega-church, entirely fi- ing houses and gardens, has been added onto several times. An lateral approach,” Merkel added. nanced by the religious community, with construction due to start increasing local population is helping to drive congregation num- The alternative would result in a situation where “no one next year. bers, but education and tradition also play a role. Children begin will believe in our value system that has made us so strong.” A church in central Opheusden will still have more seats at 2,850, to accompany their parents to church at the age of three or four, “That’s why the stakes are high,” said the German leader, who but the overall surface area of the building in Yerseke will be larger. and when they grow up do the same with their own children, Sinke is also battling a domestic rebellion over her decision in 2015 It’s a situation bucking the trend not just in the Netherlands but said. For an orthodox community living according to the Bible, to open Germany’s borders to asylum seekers fleeing war and across Europe, where hundreds of former churches are now being church attendance is also a given, he added. misery in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. turned into accommodation, event halls or put to other uses as peo- Now after 15 years of delay, partly as the right spot was hard If a deal cannot be reached between all 28 of the bloc, ple turn away from religion in droves. Except in Zeeland, where in to find, the local council voted in 2017 to approve the construction Merkel said that a compromise must be found among “a coali- a part of the country dubbed the thanks to its high con- of the mega-church on a parcel of land, which the farmer agreed tion of the willing”. But the guiding principle of any accord centration of Protestants and Catholics, churches are being ex- to sell. There’ll even be parking for some 350 cars, and an under- must be multilateral and must not put disproportionate weight tended, buildings restored and new places of worship sought out. ground space to accommodate 700 bikes, said the bespectacled on frontline countries, she stressed. “Certainly that’s not a per- Sinke proudly. But there is one last obstacle to overcome-oppo- fect solution, but it’s a start toward better control and order” Bursting at the seams sition from about a dozen villagers who have taken their case to of the migration problem, she said. —AFP Every Sunday, twice a day more than 1,400 worshippers gather the country’s highest court, the Council of State. —AFP