L-Ewropa għandha tirrikonoxxi bis-sħiħ id-dimensjoni umana u soċjali tal-immigrazzjoni – Alfred Sant

Fir-reazzjoni tiegħu għall-proposta tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar politika li tiddefinixxi l-immigrazzjoni legali, l-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant saħaq fil-parlament Ewropew li l-immigranti m’għandhomx jitqiesu sempliċiment bħala fornituri tax-xogħol. L-aspetti umani u soċjali tal-immigrazzjoni għandhom ukoll jitqiesu bis-sħiħ meta jiġu rregolati l-movimenti tal-immigranti.

Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea qed tipproponi inizjattivi legali, operattivi u politiċi bl-għan li l-ekonomija tal-Unjoni Ewropea tibbenefika minnhom fuq medda twila ta’ żmien, isaħħu l-kooperazzjoni ma’ pajjiżi li mhux parti mill-Unjoni Ewropea u jtejbu l-ġestjoni ġenerali tal-migrazzjoni. Il-proposti tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar il-politika tal-immigrazzjoni legali jinkludu azzjonijiet speċifiċi biex tiġi ffaċilitata l-integrazzjoni ta’ dawk li qed jaħarbu mill-invażjoni Russa tal-Ukrajna fis-suq tax-xogħol tal-Unjoni Ewropea.

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Sant irrikonoxxa li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea ppreżentat qafas realistiku għall-politika tal-immigrazzjoni. Madanakollu, huwa irrimarka li l-proposta hija mibnija fuq suppożizzjonijiet mhux iddikjarati li jirrikjedu konsiderazzjoni aktar profonda. Huwa nnota li “iċ-ċaqliq tal-immigranti minn pajjiż għall-ieħor huwa kkunsidrat l-aktar, forsi unikament, mill-perspettiva ekonomika tax-xogħol”. Madanakollu, Sant saħaq li hemm bżonn li wieħed iżomm f’moħħu wkoll li l-immigranti mhumiex biss ħaddiema iżda individwi b’familji u ġejjin minn soċjetajiet li kellhom bżonn il-ħiliet tagħhom.

Sant saħaq li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea għandha tiżgura li l-politika Ewropea li qed tkun proposta dwar l-immigrazzjoni ma twassalx biex pajjiżi avvanzati jkunu iffinanzjati minn pajjiżi li għadhom qed jiżvillupaw. Dawn jispiċċaw iħarrġu lill-professjonisti bħat-tobba u l-infermiera biss biex iservu ta’ provvista ta’ xogħol lill-ekonomiji avvanzati.

---

Europe should fully recognize the human and social dimension of migration – Alfred Sant

In his reaction to the European Commission proposal on a policy to define legal migration, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant emphasized at the European parliament that migrants should not be simply viewed as providers of labour. The human and social aspects of migration should also be taken into full consideration when it comes to regulating migrant movements.

The European Commission is proposing legal, operational and policy initiatives that are meant to benefit over the long term the European Union’s economy, strengthen cooperation with non-European Union countries and improve overall migration management. The European Commission proposals on legal migration policy include specific actions to facilitate integration of those fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into the European Union’s labour market.

Labour MEP Sant acknowledged that the European Commission has presented a realistic framework for migration policy. However, he pointed out that the proposal is built on unstated premises that require deeper consideration. He noted that “migrant movements are considered mostly, perhaps uniquely, from the economic perspective of labour flows”. That said, Sant stressed that it was necessary to also keep in mind that migrants are not just workers but individuals with families and coming from societies that needed their skills.

Sant emphasized that the European Commission should ensure that the proposed European migration policy does not lead to the cross-subsidisation of advanced economies by developing countries. These end up training professionals such as doctors and nurses only for them to serve as a supply of labour to advanced economies.