Europe should have a functioning common policy to allow open and legal economic migration, matching migrants to needs identified and declared by member states. It also should strengthen and widen its development aid outreach to sub saharan Africa, while streamlining the investment and operating activities of its own corporations in that zone – so as to promote job creation there, said Maltese MEP Alfred Sant when he addressed the debate “Humanitarian emergencies in the Mediterranean and solidarity in the EU” at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The debate was added to this week’s agenda on Monday as a result of the Italy-Malta dispute on the NGO rescue boat ‘Aquarius’.
“We have been declaring these objectives for a long while.”
Dr Sant said there has been a lack of agreement and limp implementation. Whether via “Dublin” or otherwise, the time has come for likeminded member states to jointly consolidate and put into full effect these agreed policy directions.
“Unless we make a clear distinction between genuine asylum seekers and economic emigrants, European citizens will not understand our purpose on migration issues. Unless we have functioning policies and rules that deal fairly, strictly and effectively with such issues, on a European basis, populists and extremists will win the political challenge.
Asylum seekers should be given all the protection they need. Economic migrants, unless they are needed by European economies, must be sent back. For this we need a strong and effective frontier control system that reaches out to neighbouring territories, inclusive of a security capability.” remarked the Maltese MEP.
Maltese Version – L-EWROPA TEĦTIEĠ POLITIKA KOMUNI DWAR L-IMMIGRAZZJONI SKONT IL-ĦTIĠIJIET DIKJARATI TAL-ISTATI MEMBRI
L-Ewropa għandu jkollha politika komuni li taħdem biex tippermetti immigrazzjoni legali miftuħa u ekonomika, li tqabbel l-immigranti mal-ħtiġijiet iddikjarati tal-istati membri. Għandha wkoll issaħħaħ u tifrex aktar l-għajnuna għall-iżvilupp tal-Afrika tas-sub saħara, u fl-istess ħin tirrazzjonalizza l-investiment u l-attivitajiet operattivi tal-korporazzjonijiet tagħha stess f’dik iż-żona – sabiex iħajru l-ħolqien tal-impjiegi hemmhekk, qal Alfred Sant meta indirizza d-dibattitu “Emerġenzi Umanitarji fil-Mediterran u Solidarjeta` fl-UE” fil-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu. Id-dibattitu ġie miżjud fl-aġenda ta’ din il-ġimgħa nhar it-tnejn wara t-tilwima bejn l-Italja u Malta fuq il-vapur ta’ salvataġġ ‘Aquarius’.
“Ilna niddikkjaraw dawn l-għanijiet żmien twil.” qal Alfred Sant.
Dr Sant qal li hemm ħafna nuqqas ta’ qbil u l-implimentazzjoni hija zoppa. Sew jekk permezz ta’ “Dublin” u sew jekk mod ieħor, wasal iż-żmien biex dawk l-istati membri li jaħsbuha l-istess, flimkien jikkonsolidaw u jimplimentaw b’mod sħiħ id-direzzjoni tal-politika miftiehma.
“Sakemm ma nagħmlux distinzjoni ċara bejn dawk li ġenwinament ifittxu l-ażil u l-emigranti ekonomiċi, iċ-ċittadini Ewropej mhux se jifhmu l-għan tagħna dwar kwistjonijiet ta’ immigrazzjoni. Mingħajr ma jkollna politika u regoli li jiffunzjonaw u li jittrattaw b’mod ġust, strett u effettiv dawn il-kwistjonijiet fuq bażi Ewropea, il-populisti u estremisti se jirbħu l-isfida politika.
Dawk li jfittxu l-ażil għandhom jingħataw il-protezzjoni kollha li jeħtieġu. L-emigranti ekonomiċi, sakemm ma jkunux meħtieġa mill-ekonomiji Ewropej, għandhom jintbagħtu lura. Għal dan hemm bżonn ta’ sistema ta’ kontroll tal-fruntieri b’saħħitha u effettiva li tasal għal territorji ġirien, inkluża kapaċita` ta’ sigurta`.” enfasizza Alfred Sant.
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