European People’s Party: “Appalled by the Maltese socialist government decision”
There’s no tampering with this pure, European DNA and its fantastic results.
PRESS RELEASE issued by the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament:
Migration: Malta needs EU assistance but push-backs are not an option
________________________________________
The EPP Group is appalled by the Maltese socialist Government decision to fly newly-rescued sub-Saharan migrants back to Libya. Had it not been for the intervention of the European Court of Human Rights, the Socialist Prime Minister would have gone ahead with his original plans.
All this comes in the wake of a European Court of Human Rights decision (Jamaa and Others v Italy (application no. 27765/09) which clearly states that push-backs of migrants is a violation of human rights. This also comes a day after Pope Francis’ speech in Lampedusa, Italy, where he spoke about the globalisation of indifference.
“How could migrants be sent back without being given the chance to apply for asylum which is their right, according to law?” said the EPP Group Vice-Chair Manfred Weber
“We believe that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is well aware of this Court decision and yet he chose to defy it. He showed us that he is not only willing to flout international law but also to act immorally. Who knows what would happen to these migrants as soon as they land in Libya? It is abundantly clear that the Libyan government is not in a position to guarantee safety to these people. Just a few weeks ago, the EPP Group backed provisions in the EU asylum package, banning refoulement which essentially means a total ban of push back policies. The new Maltese Government is running the risk of squandering the trust in no time that was built up by the previous government”, said Mr Weber.
“There is no doubt in our minds that Malta needs more EU help on migration. The Pope’s candid speech was a wake up call to all European governments. They cannot remain indifferent to the plight of these people. They cannot continue turning their backs on the misery of these people,” said the EPP Group spokesperson on Civil Liberties, Veronique Mathieu.
“The EPP Group has supported Malta all along on the need of an EU system which facilitates relocation of beneficiaries of international protection from Malta to other European member states and will continue to do so,” said Ms Mathieu.
For more information:
Manfred Weber MEP, tel.: +32-2-284-5890
Véronique Mathieu Houillon MEP, tel.: +32-2-284-5220
Marion Jeanne, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, tel.: +32 479 84 02 93
Note to Editors
The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 275 Members from 27 Member States.
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Li nidhru helwin quddiem Brusell huwa l-ewwel u qabel kollox.
See? Someone is far more effective at rustling up his old contacts from the European Parliament than making statements to the Maltese press.
hear hear.
And what about the Socialist group within the EP? Their silence can be construed as tacit approval of the attempted pushback. Shouldn’t we have heard from them too?
Someone should try to get a comment from Muscat’s buddy at the EP, Martin Shulz.
That’s what I was thinking. And their statement of principles clearly states that they should respect human dignity, so they should be lambasting Muscat right now.
“The Pope’s candid speech was a wake up call to all European governments. ” and not Joseph’s actions.
I guess it’s time you wake up and smell the coffee Mr. Prime Minister
Quoting from Labour’s electoral manifesto:
“Gvern Ġdid huwa kontra kull diskriminazzjoni negattiva u jaħdem attivament biex l-ebda kxenofobija ma terfa’ rasha. Għalhekk, Gvern Ġdid iħaddem politika li tassigura rispett sħiħ lejn id-diversita’ filwaqt li tkun kontra kull tip ta’ razziżmu u preġudizzji.”
Indeed.
Take a look at this now: https://www.facebook.com/events/127472267462835/
Is this the logo of Malta Taghna used on that Facebook page?
http://gallery.iskcon.org/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2911&g2_serialNumber=1
If the switchers go to this event, they should have quite a crowd.
On Monday, 8th July, I watched as the day’s events unfolded. Pope Francis was visiting the island of Lampedusa calling for an end to worldwide indifference to the plight of refugees who leave Africa and the Middle East to reach Europe.
“The culture of well-being makes us think about ourselves, renders us insensitive to the cries of others,” he said, urging “brotherly responsibility” and condemning a “globalisation of indifference”.
He reminded us that “We are a society that has forgotten how to cry,”
Pope Francis’s poignant words made me reflect on how lucky I am to live in a safe country. Like him, I am a Christian. Like him, I believe that compassion is a sign of strength. I am so blessed to have him as my spiritual leader.
On Tuesday, 9th July, I watched as the day’s events unfolded. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was being questioned by the local press over the illegal repatriation by the Maltese government of a group of refugees who had just been brought into Malta.
“All options are being considered in the national interest, but no decision had been taken,” he told assembled reporters.
“This is not push-back, it is a signal that we are not push overs,”
When asked whether the government would repatriate the migrants if that action was illegal, Dr Muscat reiterated that all options were being considered.
Dr. Joseph Muscat’s spine-chilling words made me reflect on how lucky I am to live in a safe country. Like him, I am Maltese. Unlike him, I believe that compassion is a sign of strength. I am so ashamed to have him as my prime minister.
I had already anticipated such reaction in one of my former posts. If Muscat persists in his follies, EU will wash his brains with coffee.
The Europod and the Europiddly.
The Europod and the Gastropod.
http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/resources/000/178/456/large-Common-garden-slug.jpg
Nice words, but who the hell’s gonna hammer this little shit?
He’s prepared to commit murder and the Brussels Sprouts say tsk, tsk?
Well he possibly secured his next election. What do you expect with a country of unquantifiable morons. There is nothing you can do, how much ever you try. This is the result of the Mintoff era and you should know that it normally takes a few generations to eradicate it.
These idiots that they are writing on fb to do a demonstration in Valletta I would like to open their eyes , be smart and do nothing of this sort because all the world is watching every word Muscat is saying.
If the foreigners lose their respect on us they move their business elsewhere, and then there is something to go to Valletta to demonstrate about, you idiots.
Like Victoria, we should ALL be ashamed of having Muscat as our Prime Minister. But the biggest fault in democracy is that even the profound illiterates have a vote.
We need the EPP to really address this issue in the EP.
It is undeniable that border states have a problem with illegal immigration but the EU is doing nothing and this reticence will lead to political problems. We already saw far right policies winning the day (Haider, Le Pen, rise of neo Nazism in Germany, Maroni in Italy and others) but the situation will worsen.
The EU is doing nothing not only to assuage the problems faced by certain states but also to create and implement a holistic policy which would address the roots of this problem.
It us useless saying the Med has become a graveyard and then doing absolutely nothing. The problems which the EU needs to address are the following: extreme poverty, closer co-operation in combating illegal organisations dealing in human trafficking and ferrying, better co-operation in SAR, better and more streamlined asylum procedures, a better EURODAC system which includes biometric data (for identifying frauds) and burden-sharing (even though I personally believe that burden-sharing does not address the root of the problem.
Our PM behaved as a maverick and, at this rate, we will become the pariah of the EU.
However just criticising the PM without offering solutions will just make his wanton and illegal decision find support amongst those thousands of Maltese who speak out of abject fear and ignorance rather than logic and thought. Malta has to keep on hankering for policies but Muscat is biting the hand that feeds us and this will backfire.
A “socialist government”?
More like a lefto-fascistic regime in the making.
A movement not able to set the world on fire but to ruin Maltese life of freedom and democracy.
Like Mr Mursi elected democratically ….