The EU is facing an institutional crisis on migration

The EU is facing an insitutional crisis because it lacks a common policy on migration and member states do not agree on issues covering frontier management, a union migration policy and burden sharing proposals. Migration is a European problem. Today we first try to deter migrants taking to the sea and try to save them when they are in danger of drowning. Then three, four or five EU member states try to share them between themselves, depending on the size of the group. But this is not being done through EU structures, said Alfred Sant, Labour Head of Delegation at the European Parliament on a TV programme chaired by Emmy Bezzina on SMASH TV.

The Dublin Treaty states that the first member state where migrants’ finger prints are stored or an asylum claim is lodged is responsible for a person’s asylum claim. Now Italy is saying that it cannot cope with more migrants on its territory.
“We also never agreed with the Dublin Treaty since Malta cannot support open ended arrivals on migrants on our small island.”

SCHENGEN

Dr Sant said that Schengen is facilitating the movements of migrants from one EU country to another. When according to the Dublin regulation they should stay put in the country which has first received them.

“Italy is providing an Identity Card to migrants and does not keep an open eye on their movements to other EU states, including Malta so much so that recently 120 migrants coming from Italy were found staying at a disused farm in Qormi.”

Dr Sant said that even Horst Seehofer, German Interior Minister and Leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) in Bavaria wanted to introduce more stringent border controls which would clash with Schengen rules. Schengen has permitted a substantial number of migrants from Italy and Austria to enter Bavaria and for the first time in 50 years German conservatives are fearing losing the looming elections. Chancellor Merkel resisted Seehofer’s proposals because they could lead to a dismantlement of the Schengen zone.

Dr Sant said this is the problem Europe is facing at the moment. Furthermore fear exists among most Europeans that Islam could overcome the Christian system in Europe.

“We, the Italians, the French, all Europeans are conscious of this problem. This is a European challenge which entails economic, social and historical factors. How do we use funds to control this phenomenon? How are we going to ensure a common European policy acceptable to all EU member states? We’re still far away from finding a solution on migration!” said Alfred Sant.

Maltese Version – L-UE GĦANDHA KRIŻI ISTITUZZJONALI DWAR L-IMMIGRAZZJONI

L-UE għandha kriżi istituzzjonali għax la għandha politika komuni u lanqas risposta komuni dwar l-immigrazzjoni. Ma hemmx qbil mill-istati membri tal-UE dwar proposti fuq il-kontroll tal-fruntieri, m’hemmx qbil fuq proposti dwar il-qsim tal-piżijiet tal-immigranti fost l-istati membri tal-UE u ma hemmx qbil dwar politika komuni tal-UE f’dan il-qasam.

Dan qalu Alfred Sant, Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew fil-programm ta’ Emmy Bezzina ‘Il-Parlament tal-Poplu’ fuq SMASH TV.

“Effettivament din hi problema Ewropea. Illum l-ewwel nippruvaw ma nħalluhomx jibdew il-vjaġġ bil-baħar u mbagħad nippruvaw insalvawhom meta jkunu se jegħrqu. Imbagħad tlieta, erba’ jew ħames stati membri tal-UE jippruvaw iqassmuhom bejniethom, skont id-daqs tal-grupp. Imma dan mhux isir bl-istrutturi tal-UE.”

Il-ftehim ta’ Dublin jgħid li meta immigrant irregolari jew refuġjat jasal f’pajjiż tal-UE u jkun l-ewwel darba li miss siequ mal-art, jibqa’ f’dak il-pajjiż . Issa wasalna fi stadju fejn il-Gvern Taljan qed jgħid ċar u tond li ma jridx aktar immigranti għax ma jistax ilaħħaq magħhom.

“Aħna wkoll qatt ma qbilna mal-ftehim ta’ Dublin għax Malta ma tistax tilqa’ wasliet ta’ immigranti bla limitu fuq il-gżira żgħira tagħna.”

IX-XENGEN

Dr Sant qal li s-sistema tax-xengen qed tagħmilha faċli għall-immigranti li jaqsmu minn pajjiż għall-ieħor tal-UE, meta skont it-Trattat ta’ Dublin dawn għandhom jibqgħu fl-ewwel art tal-UE li jirfsu fuqha.

“L-Italja qed tagħti karta ta’ identita` lill-immigranti li jaslu f’pajjiżha, l-awtoritajiet jagħlqu għajnejhom u jħalluhom imorru fejn iridu. Dan wassal biex dawn qed jidħlu faċilment f’Malta. Ftit ilu numru ta’ immigranti li nstabu f’post diżutli imma li għalihom kien tajjeb biex jgħixu fih…. kienu kollha ġejjin mill-Italja.”

Dr Sant qal li anke Horst Seehofer, il-Mexxej Bavarjan tal-Konservattivi ried jintroduċi kontrolli strinġenti fuq il-fruntieri li jmorru kontra r-regoli tax-xengen. Bis-sistema tax-xengen għadd sostanzjali ta’ immigranti deħlin fil-Bavarja mill-Italja u mill-Awstrija u għall-ewwel darba f’ħamsin sena l-konservattivi qed jibżgħu mill-elezzjonijiet li se jsiru dalwaqt. Il-Kanċillier Merkel irreżistiet il-proposti ta’ Seehofer għax jistgħu jwasslu għall-iżmantellament taż-żona ta’ xengen.

Dr Sant qal li din hija l-problema li għandha l-UE bħalissa. Teżisti wkoll il-biża’ fost ħafna Ewropej li l-Islam ikun akbar mis-sistema Kristjana fl-Ewropa.

“Aħna nħossuha, it-Taljani jħossuha, il-Franċiżi jħossuha, kulħadd iħossha. Din hija sfida Ewropea li ddaħħal fatturi ekonomiċi, soċjali u storiċi. Kif se nużaw il-fondi biex nikkontrollaw dan il-fenomenu? Effettivament kif se jkun hemm politika aċċettata mill-istati membri tal-UE u li tittratta l-problema tal-immigrazzjoni bħala problema Ewropea, jiġifieri li kulħadd jipparteċipa fiha. Għadna ’l bogħod li nsibu soluzzjoni dwar l-immigrazzjoni!” qal Alfred Sant.