Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, High Representative, welcome.

After 50 years of repression, escalated in a 13-year-long brutal war, the Assad regime has fallen.

Finally, Syrian citizens have a chance at building a safe and free country. The EU must do everything in its power to help make that really happen and also to hold the Assad regime accountable.

But we are still far from true celebration. Look at the unstable situation, the unlawful attacks by regional actors and the level of destruction. Yet, EU countries who often take years to decide on asylum claims now rush to premature decisions, freezing asylum examinations and even announcing deportations of Syrians.

This is harming Syrian people, who cannot return in safety now and are still entitled to protection. But it also sends a dangerous signal to neighbouring countries like Türkiye and Lebanon. A sudden, massive return now can only further destabilise the country.

So, what the Syrians need is full support, safety and protection wherever they are. They have suffered enough.