
Commenting on the outcome of the council meeting of EU home affairs ministers and ahead of European Parliament today on the tragedy in Lampedusa, Green migration and asylum policy spokesperson Jean Lambert (UK Euro-MP) said:
“The EU cannot continue to allow tragic loss of human life in its coastal waters. New EU rules on the surveillance of sea borders are currently under discussion in the European Parliament and Council but EU governments are again pushing for limited provisions for assistance in the case of emergencies. This is not acceptable and must be immediately redressed. There is also a need to finally make a common asylum system a reality and provide for a more humane treatment of those coming to Europe seeking refuge and asylum, and ensure that EU member states share responsibility for this.”
Prof. Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, said: “We Maltese greens have convinced our European Green family that the Dublin II Convention has to be reformed and the responsibility of saving and hosting migrants has to be shared by all EU governments. It is now time for Prime Minister Muscat to persuade his 10 Socialist Prime Ministers and for Dr Busuttill to persuade his 12 PPE Prime Ministers to follow in the footsteps of us Greens.”
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F’kumment fuq il-laqgħa tal-Minstri Ewropej tal-Intern u b’rabta mad-diskkussjoni fil-parlament Ewropew fuq id-diżastru f’Lampedusa, il-kelliema tal-European Greens, l-MEP Jean Lambert, qalet:
“L-Unjoni Ewropea ma tistax tkompli tħalli jseħħu imwiet tragiċi fl-ibħra taghha. Bħalissa qed jiġu diskussi regoli ġodda biex jitħarsu l-fruntieri fil-baħar imma il-gvernijiet Ewropej moħħhom biss li jagħfsu fuq għajnuna limitata f’kaz ta’ emerġenza biss. Dan mhux aċċettabbli. Hemm bżonn li tinħoloq politika komuni għall-ażil li tipprovdi għal trattament uman għal dawk li jaslu fl-Ewropa biex ifittxu kenn u ażil, u hemm bżonn li kull membru tal-EU jaqsam ir-responsabilita’ għal dan.”
Il-Prof Arnold Cassola, Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, qal: “Aħna tal-Alternattiva kkonvinċejna lill-familja politika tal-Greens Ewropej li l-Konvenzjoni Dublin II trid tiġi riformata u li r-responsabbilta’ li ssalva u li tagħti kenn lill-migranti tinqasam bejn il-gvernijiet kollha tal-EU. Issa jmiss lill-Prim Ministru Muscat li jipperswadi lill-10 Prim Ministri Soċjalisti kollegi tiegu u lil Dr Busuttil li jipperswadi lit-12-il Prim Ministru tal-PPE kollegi tiegħu biex isegwu fil-passi tagħna l-Greens.”