The EU must help EU member states directly affected by the migration crisis

Dr. Alfred Sant told Heads of Delegations of the S&D and representatives of EU national parliaments that the European Union must be more sensitive to its member states that are receiving thousands of refugees and are already overstretched with the migration crisis. The meeting was attended by Martin Schultz, President of the European Parliament and Gianni Pittella, President of the S&D and discussed the need to shape a common stance towards a unified and coherent EU migration policy.
Dr. Sant said that the EU must understand that its citizens are scared of the humanitarian crisis caused by the influx of thousands of immigrants crossing into Europe. ‘European citizens need to be reassured that immigration policies are being conceived and implemented in full awareness of their need for security and reassurance in their personal lives and future. That is why a general and financial plan at European level over the long term, to back all the statements about values that we’ve been hearing, needs to be spelled out and explained to the people’, Sant told the meeting.

Dr. Sant said that Europe needs a long term plan which takes into account the social, economic and humanitarian realms, especially of those countries which are being directly affected by this ongoing crisis. ‘There needs to be a business plan that not only takes into account the short term, but also for the next 3-5 years. We need to extend lines of support to these refugees but at the same time we need to convince our people that the situation is manageable, that we need a plan of action. The EU must understand that our citizens are scared of this ongoing crisis’. emphasized Dr. Sant.

The meeting was also attended by Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg.

Maltese Version – ‘L-UNJONI EWROPEA GĦANDHA TGĦIN LILL-ISTATI MEMBRI MILQUTIN DIRETTAMENT MILL-KRIŻI TAL-IMMIGRAZZJONI’

Dr. Alfred Sant qal lill-Kapijiet tad-Delegazzjonijiet tal-S&D u rappreżentanti tal-Parlamenti Nazzjonali li l-Unjoni Ewropea għandha tkun aktar sensittiva għall-istati membri tagħha li qed jirċievu eluf ta’ refuġjati u li diġa` huma mgħobbijin bil-kriżi tal-immigrazzjoni. Il-laqgħa tal-S&D fi Brussell, li għaliha attendew Martin Schultz, President tal-Parlament Ewropew u Gianni Pittella, President tal-S&D, iddiskutiet il-bżonn ta’ pożizzjoni komuni għal politika Ewropea koerenti u magħquda dwar l-immigrazzjoni.
Dr. Sant qal li l-UE trid tifhem li ċ-ċittadini tagħha huma imbeżżgħin mill-influss ta’ eluf ta’ refuġjat li qed jaqsmu lejn l-Ewropa. ‘Iċ-ċittadini Ewropej iridu jserrħu moħħhom li l-politika Ewropea tal-immigrazzjoni qed titfassal u tiġi implimentata bl-għan li l-ħajja personali tagħhom tkun imħarsa. Jeħtieġ pjan ġenerali u finanzjarju fit-tul fuq livell Ewropew biex isostnu l-istqarrijiet tal-valuri li ilna nisimgħu. Dan il-pjan għandu jkun ċar u jiġi spjegat lill-poplu’, stqarr Dr. Sant.

Dr. Sant qal li l-Ewropa teħtieġ pjan fit-tul li jżomm quddiem għajnejh il-bżonnijiet soċjali, ekonomiċi u umanitarji, l-aktar ta’ dawk l-istati membri milqutin direttament mill-kriżi tal-immigrazzjoni. ‘Hemm bżonn pjan li jħares fit-tul għall-ħames snin li ġejjin. Irridu nappoġġjaw lir-refuġjati li qed jaqsmu lejn l-Ewropa, imma fl-istess waqt irridu nikkonvinċu liċ-ċittadini tagħna li nistgħu nilqgħu għal din il-kriżi, li għandna pjan ta’ azzjoni.’ Qal Dr. Sant.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Ian Borg kien preżenti għal dil-laqgħa.