Description
Added on the 16/09/2020 14:10:20 - Copyright : AFPTV - First images
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hails the EU parliament's adoption of a contentious asylum policy reform as a "huge achievement for Europe". The parliament's main political groups overcame opposition from far-right and far-left parties to pass the new migration and asylum pact -- a sweeping reform nearly a decade in the making. SOUNDBITE
During a press conference with Belgian PM Alexander de Croo and Polish Pm Donald Tusk, EU chief, Ursula Von der Leyen, announces that aid for Poland frozen over rule-of-law row has now been unblocked. SOUNDBITE
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi strongly condemns the British government's plan to send migrants who arrived illegally in the UK to Rwanda. "We believe that this is all wrong, this is all wrong this deal for so many different reasons", says Filippo Grandi during a press conference in Geneva, a day before the first UK-Rwanda flights are scheduled to take place. SOUNDBITE
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says Poland will only receive the money from its 35.4-billion euro ($38 billion) post-Covid economic recovery package if it carries out rule of law reforms. She says the EU's approval of the plan announced on Wednesday is "important" but only "a first step, as the money will be disbursed when the reforms and investments are in place". SOUNDBITE
The UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet laments the erosion of rule of law in Venezuela, pointing to attacks on political opponents and activists, including using torture and killings. The report on Venezuela comes after her visit to the troubled South American Country last month. SOUNDBITE