Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant said that the treatment of the European Commission’s employees exposed to asbestos at Jean Monnet Building in Luxembourg is disgraceful. Dr. Sant said that after more than four months, the European Commission has still not replied to a parliamentary question he placed before it, regarding when the 1,700 translators, 50 of which are Maltese nationals in its employment at the Jean Monnet building in Luxembourg will be transferred to a safe workplace. At Jean Monnet all employees have for a long time been subjected to serious health hazards resulting from the presence of asbestos in the building’s infrastructure. Dr. Sant said that the European institutions should give the lead in showing full respect to regulations in the countries where they operate. They surely cannot appear to lead in the non-observance of rules meant to protect the health of European citizens.

Dr. Sant said he is informed that the Commission has for years repeatedly sidelined concerns there. Staff complaints about the issue have been ignored. Use of the building is in conflict with Luxembourg’s regulations regarding health and safety standards, but these cannot be enforced given the Commission’s diplomatic status.

Dr. Sant said that questions to the European Commission from the European Parliament should be answered within 6 weeks at the latest. The four months that have elapsed since he put the question with no answer yet available, indicate that the European Commission cannot or does not want to supply a firm date for the transfer of its staff.

Alfred Sant had asked the European Commission whether a definite date has been decided to move out 1,700 employees from the Jean Monet Building. Alfred Sant asked the Commission how many cases of asbestos have been recognised as professional illnesses regarding Commission employees stationed in the Jean Monet Building. He also asked why has the commission been taking almost 20 years, from the first partial partial moves in 1995, to complete the move of Commission employees from out of the ‘Jean Monet Buildings.

Maltese Version

‘TAL-MISTĦIJA KIF IL-KUMMISSJONI EWROPEA TITRATTA L-IMPJEGATI ESPOSTI GĦALL-ASBESTOS’

Alfred Sant qal li huwa tal-mistħija kif il-Kummissjoni Ewropea qed tittratta l-impjegati tagħħa fil-bini Jean Monnet fil-Lussemburgu esposti għall-asbestos. Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea għadha ma weġbitx mistoqsija parlamentari ta’ Dr. Sant dwar meta 1700 impjegat, 50 minnhom Maltin fil-bini Jean Monnet fil-Lussemburgu se jkunu trasferiti għal post tax-xogħol mingħajr periklu għal saħħithom. L-impjegati f’Jean Monnet ilhom għal żmien twil f’periklu għal saħħithom bil-presenza ta’ asbestos fl-infrastruttura tal-bini. Dr. Sant qal li l-Istituzzjonijiet Ewropej għandhom jagħtu eżempju u juru rispett lejn ir-regoli tal-pajjjiżi fejn joperaw. Il-KE ma tistax tagħti eżempju ħażin fuq in-nuqqas ta’ osservanza tar-regoli maħsuba biex jipproteġu s-saħħa taċ-ċittadini Ewropej.

Dr. Sant qal li kien infurmat li l-Kummissjoni ilha għal snin twal tinjora t-talbiet tal-impjegati biex ma jibqgħux jaħdmu bil-perikli għal saħħithom. L-użu ta’ dan il-bini huwa f’konflitt mar-regoli tal-Lussemburgu dwar is-saħħa, iżda dawn ma jistgħux jiġu inforzati minħabba l-istatus diplomatiku tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea. Dr. Sant qal li l-KE hija marbuta li twieġeb il-mistoqsijiet parlamentari fi żmien 6 ġimgħat. Diġa’ għaddew erba’ xhur mindu għamel il-mistoqsija parlamentari u jidher li l-KE ma tistax jew ma tridx tagħti data eżatta meta se jiġu ittrasferiti l-1,700 impjegat.

Dr. Sant kien staqsa lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea jekk iddeċidietx fuq data biex toħroġ l-impjegati li qed jaħdmu fil-prezena tal-asbestos fil-Lussemburgu. Alfred Sant staqsa lill-Kummissjoni kemm-il każ ta’ asbestos ġie identifikat f’ħaddiema stazzjonati fil-bini Jean Monet. Staqsa wkoll għaliex il-Kummissjoni Ewropea ħadet 20 sena, mill-ewwel ċaqliq li beda jsir fl-1995, biex toħroġ lill-ħaddiema minn dan il-bini, minkejja l-presenza konfermata tal-asbestos.

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