Malta is expected to take in 425 migrants as part of the new European Union refugee-sharing plan presented by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
The President of the European Union's executive on Wednesday called for the emergency relocation of 120,000 people in need of international protection who have entered the EU through Italy, Greece and Hungary to 22 of the EU's 28 nations. Britain, Denmark and Ireland are not legally obliged to take part, but may choose to; Italy, Greece and Hungary are excluded because of the numbers of migrants already in those countries.
The refugee-sharing plan is similar to a scheme announced in April to relocate 40,000 refugees from Italy and Greece. That proposal was never fully accepted, and now the proposal is for the number to grow by 120,000 to 160,000. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday that 500,000 migrants are believed to have arrived so far this year.
Here is what the spread of the 160,000 refugees among EU countries would be should they agree by a large majority to accept the new plan:
Austria 4,853
Belgium 5,928
Bulgaria 2,172
Croatia 1,811
Cyprus 447
Czech Republic 4,306
Estonia 1,111
Finland 3,190
France 30,783
Germany 40,206
Latvia 1,043
Lithuania 1,283
Luxembourg 808
Malta 425
Netherlands 9,261
Poland 11,946
Portugal 4,775
Romania 6,351
Slovakia 2,287
Slovenia 1,126
Spain 19,219
Sweden 5,838
___
Greece and Italy have taken in by far the most migrants and refugees from outside the EU via the Mediterranean this year.
Here's a look at the top five countries of origin of the migrants who arrived in those two EU countries this year through Sept. 1, according to the International Office of Migration:
___
Origins of those arriving in Greece (who arrive via Turkey, almost entirely by boat by way of six Greek islands near the Turkish coast)
—Syria: 88,204
—Afghanistan: 32,414
—Albania: 9,713
—Pakistan: 9,445
—Iraq: 5,421
___
Origins of those arriving in Italy (many across the Mediterranean from Libya, which has been unstable and lawless in many areas in recent years.)
—Eritrea: 25,657
—Nigeria: 11,899
—Somalia: 7,538
—Sudan: 5,658
—Syria: 5,495