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AMMAN — Hungary is reaching out to other EU countries in a bid to enlist assistance for countries hosting refugees, Hungarian Ambassador to Jordan Csaba Czibere said.

In an interview with The Jordan Times on Saturday, the diplomat said his country will offer “concrete proposals with short-term impact” regarding the refugee crisis in the EU Council’s extraordinary session convening this Wednesday.

Priorities, according to the Hungarian proposal, would be to defend the borders by helping Greece comply with its border protection obligations, and to help the countries hosting Syrian refugees, mainly Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

“The EU should be ready to cover all the costs that are not available,” Czibere said, adding that international contributions are “significant yet inadequate”.

The current refugee crisis reminded Europeans of the essential role of countries like Jordan, which has been offering a “huge sacrifice for long years”, the ambassador said, highlighting the efforts of the Kingdom, as well as Lebanon and Turkey, in hosting Syrian refugees.

The diplomat said there might be two ways for Europe to support countries hosting Syrian refugees: The first is that each of the member states give additional funds; the second is by looking for sources of funds in the budget of the EU.

“[Syrian] refugees in neighbouring countries to Syria are safe and their efforts are needed to reconstruct their country once it is peaceful; if they travel thousands of kilometres, it is unlikely that they will ever return home,” he said.

Illegal crossings

The ambassador, whose country was flooded with refugees and immigrants over the past months, said Budapest has spent 200 million euros this year to meet its Schengen obligations, in reference to the EU agreement which established the borderless European zone allowing free passage of people and vehicles.

This year alone, increasingly in the summer, the number of illegal crossings into Hungary over the 170-kilometre-long border with Serbia exceeded 200,000, while Schengen rules allow crossing only at designated crossings, Czibere explained.

To face this problem, Hungary built a fence, which proved to be “the only effective physical solution based on NATO standards for physical barriers” to address the issue of illegal crossings.

Refugee registration

Since the beginning of this year until the middle of September, Hungary registered over 172,000 immigrants from 100 different nationalities who asked for refugee status out of the 200,000 who illegally crossed into the country without documents, the diplomat told The Jordan Times.

Around 67,000 (40 per cent) of registered immigrants are Syrians, while the number of Afghans reached 44,000, followed by Kosovars (23,000), Pakistanis (15,000), Iraqis (6,000) and Bangladeshis (4,000). 

“This does not seem to be a solely Syrian refugee crisis… this is a diverse group with different objectives,” he said, adding that the majority of immigrants are single young males.

Hungary is merely a “transit country” for the majority of immigrants on their way to other countries, mainly Germany and Sweden, as asylum seekers eye better educational and economic opportunities or social benefits there.

Still people who register as refugees in Hungary get shelter, food and healthcare, among other benefits.

But for Hungary and other European countries, it would be more feasible and beneficial to offer more assistance to refugee-hosting countries neighbouring Syria, he stressed.

AMMAN — The World Bank board of directors approved Friday a $250 million financial package to support Jordan’s process to reform the energy and water sectors. 

In a statement posted on its website, the bank described the sectors as “critical public services that are challenged by scarce resources and further burdened by a sharp rise in demand caused by the influx of Syrian refugees”.

The policy programme financed by the Development Policy Loan (DPL) will include a gradual reform of electricity and water subsidies; diversification of fuel sources for environmentally friendly and sustainable power generation; increasing efficiency in the energy and water sectors; and optimising water use, said the statement.

The DPL is aligned with the medium-term objectives of the government’s own “Jordan 2025: A National Vision and Strategy”, which seeks to achieve financial and environmental sustainability, enhanced productivity and increased competitiveness in 10 years.

“We are pleased to continue supporting the government of Jordan in implementing its ambitious and far-reaching reform programmes which aim to bolster the country’s broad development agendas,” said Ferid Belhaj, World Bank Director for the Middle East, who added that the implementation of the programme would lead to significant gains in efficiency for the water and electricity sectors. 

Jordan’s historic vulnerability to fluctuations in fuel prices, coupled with the frequent interruptions in piped natural gas from Egypt since the outbreak of the Arab upheaval in 2011, have severely taxed the budget. To compensate for the gas shortages, Jordan has resorted to importing more expensive diesel and fuel oil, the bank said, adding the development encouraged Jordan to develop and implement programmes to diversify and reduce cost of energy supply through the development of domestic renewable energy resources and alternate natural gas supply options for power generation.

“Jordan has made significant progress in developing new renewable energy private sector projects and is on track to reach its target of 10 per cent of renewable energy in the overall energy mix by 2020,” said Husam Beides, World Bank programme leader for sustainable development. 

The new liquefied natural gas terminal in the Aqaba, which became operational in July 2015, will enable Jordan to restore the share of the natural gas supply for power generation to 70 per cent or more, reducing therefore Jordan’s dependency on more expensive and polluting diesel and heavy fuel oil imports, said the statement.

On the water front, the World Bank noted that a series of external shocks, including fluctuations in oil prices and the influx of the Syrian refugees in the country, have rapidly increased the cost of water.

In response, the government is implementing a sector-reform programme that aims to optimise the allocation of water resources, while reducing the use of energy in the sector.

“The water sector is on track to start generating energy efficiency savings that will help reduce the fiscal and environmental footprints of the sector,” said Caroline van den Berg, World Bank lead water and sanitation Specialist.  

In addition to the new $250 million loan, the World Bank’s portfolio in Jordan comprises three projects amounting to $430 million, as well as 15 trust fund grants for a total of $83.4 million, said the statement. 

AMMAN — The Health Ministry on Sunday said two new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus-related infection have been registered, bringing the overall number of the cases this year to 13, of which six persons have recovered while five died.

Mohammad Abdullat, director of the ministry’s communicable disease control department, said a 29-year-old health sector employee who was close to a previously registered case has been diagnosed with the disease as well as 60-year-old man who has diabetes and blood pressure problems. According to Abdullat, the two cases are currently under close observation. 

AMMAN — Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji has decided to form a partnership council between the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and the General Association for Foodstuff Merchants to enhance bilateral cooperation in issues that concern the food sector, an association statement revealed Sunday.

The council, to be headed by Biltaji, is aimed at discussing issues related to malls, food factories and food-importing companies.

Under the decision, the association will implement “the healthy city”, a GAM initiative carried out within the municipality’s strategic plan to render Amman a healthy city in terms of food and environment, the statement added.

Association President Khalil Haj Tawfiq noted that there are 11,719 food outlets in Amman with a total capital of JD470 million. 

AMMAN — Two workers died on Sunday in an iron and steel factory in Zarqa as a result of third-degree burns, according to the Civil Defence Department (CDD).

The workers died when melted iron was spilt on them, and five others were injured in the same incident. Also on Sunday, seven family members were injured when their vehicle overturned in the Sultani area in Karak.

CDD cadres administered first aid to the injured and rushed them to Karak Public Hospital where they were listed in fair condition. On Saturday, a person was shot in the leg at Jerash Public Hospital when a fight broke out in front of the hospital entrance. 

MADABA — Madaba Civil Defence Department on Thursday managed to put under control a fire that erupted at a private secondary school in in the town, 30km southwest Amman.

As a result of the fire, which broke out due to an electric short circuit, a school guard, an Egyptian aged 44, suffered breathing difficulty due to inhaling toxic gases.

The guard was sent to Al Nadim Hospital and his condition was listed as moderate. Several rooms of the administration suffered material damage.  

AMMAN — Correctional and rehabilitation centres will be open during the Eid Al Adha holiday from 9am to 1pm, a Public Security Department (PSD) statement released Sunday said.

The decision comes under the reform policy implemented by the PSD to keep inmates in touch with their families, the PSD said, adding that inmates who are to be released during the holiday will follow the procedure in accordance with the law. 

Eid Al Adha is the feast marking the end of the pilgrimage season.

AMMAN — Interpol’s office in Amman, in coordination with Egyptian Interpol, arrested an African suspect involved in a scam case, while search was still under way for an Arab woman associated with the same case, a Public Security Department statement said Sunday.

A citizen had filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department, in which he stated he was scammed out of $100,000 by an African man and an Arab woman who convinced him they could perform sorcery.

After questioning, the African suspect revealed a possible third accomplice and search for him was under way. Interpol has also said people who wish to travel want to make sure their record is clean, can send text their names and national numbers to 94444 from any mobile phone. 

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Sunday approved executive measures to prepare a comprehensive plan for land overlooking the Jordan Valley to be distributed as housing units to deserving citizens.

The government allocated around 7,700 dunums in Shafa Ghor (land overlooking the Jordan Valley from the east) unfit for planting to be used for housing, estimating the number of beneficiaries at around 45,000 people. 

AMMAN — Border Guards on Sunday foiled a man’s attempt to infiltrate from Jordan into Syria, an official source at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army said.

The person was arrested in accordance with the rules of engagement followed in such cases, and he was referred to the appropriate authorities.