Swiss president backs divisive EU refugee deal

Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga says the new deal to share 120,000 refugees between most of the countries in the European Union is an “important stage” towards a common European policy of solidarity towards refugees. Sommaruga was present in Brussels on Tuesday at a meeting of European justice and interior ministers. Switzerland is a member of the European space known as Schengen which enables border-free travel in the EU. A Swiss justice ministry statement said Sommaruga “was pleased” with the decision by EU ministers to relocate 120,000 refugees among the bloc to ease the strains on frontline nations like Greece and Italy. But the principle of sharing refugees is extremely divisive and fiercely opposed by several countries in central and eastern Europe. In a highly unusual move that betrayed the deep lack of consensus on the issue, the decision was put to a majority ballot in which the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia all voted against creating a ...