Joseph Cuschieri “wants to prevent the EU from discussing irregular immigration”
I rarely reproduce any press statements, still less reproduce them intact, but this time I think you would like to read the whole thing as released.
JOSEPH CUSCHIERI WANTS TO PREVENT THE EU FROM DISCUSSING IRREGULAR IMMIGRATION
Joint statement by PN MEPs David Casa and Roberta Metsola, yesterday afternoon
Labour MEP Joseph Cuschieri issued a statement today trying to stop PN MEPs from speaking in a European Parliament debate on irregular immigration in the Mediterranean this week.
The Head of Labour’s MEP Delegation appears to have a different agenda to that of his political master, Joseph Muscat, who has pleaded without success for the immigration issue to be put on the European Agenda.
Joseph Cuschieri should know that this debate was called for in summer after Italian MEPs, supported by their Maltese counterparts in the European People’s Party, insisted that the issue of irregular immigration in the Mediterranean was a European issue and that the Member States in the region should not be left to deal with this major issue alone.
In a joint statement, MEPs David Casa and Roberta Metsola said that the horrific tragedy in Lampedusa has shown how urgent EU action is required to handle this humanitarian crisis and save lives at sea and no one, least of all Joseph Cuschieri, will bar them from talking about the issue. Like Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the Head of the Labour MEPs is trying, and failing, to score undignified, cheap political points after a tragedy which saw the loss of so many innocent lives.
The PN MEPs invite Joseph Cuschieri to sit down and discuss the way forward on this important issue away from the misinformation, hysterics and threats of illegal pushbacks. It is regrettable that Joseph Cushieri has not yet learnt that by being divisive he does not make any progress and solves nothing.
Enough damage has been done to Malta’s reputation by Joseph Muscat and MEP Cuschieri on this issue. Misinformed statements will get us nowhere.
The MEPs added that it was surprising that Joseph Cuschieri had only just realised that the issue was going to be discussed seeing that this was decided a month ago. Perhaps if Joseph Cuschieri had been paying attention and doing his job he would have realised that this debate has been on the cards for a long time and will be done with cross-party support.
It is clear that despite all the time he has spent in the European Parliament, Joseph Cuschieri simply has no idea how it works.
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If the PL really wants further help from the EU why on earth are they objecting to this discussion?
Is it because it thinks that it will be shown in a bad light because of the push back policy? Hasn’t it realised that this discussion is essential if all the members of the EU parliament have to get to know the seriousness of the situation, not just for Malta but for all Mediterranean countries?
It is also essential especially, after the latest terrible tragedy, for the emigrants themselves. These people are being abused by money grabbing gangsters, who put these people on decrepit boats and leave them to their destiny without a qualm.
Still what can you expect from a government that only looks after the interest of only a section of the Maltese? If it doesn’t care about the “other” Maltese, how can it really care for “is-suwed’?
Joseph Cuschieri is an embarrassment in the Europoean Parliament because he is not well informed about it.
Daphne, it is our duty to post this one here today. I don’t think I had ever seen the editorial of The Times posted on the front page of their website.
I agree 100% with The Sunday Times on this. Anton Refalo must go.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131006/editorial/Why-Anton-Refalo-has-to-go.489144
He should in fact find a better-paid job, where he can service his bank loans better.
Please God, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing and the right hand does not know what the left is doing – all because they are too engrossed in distributing and receiving perks.
No surprise that Joseph Cuschieri does not know how the EU works.
Both Joseph Muscat and Louis Grech still don’t, and Scicluna is gradually getting an education about the operatives of the EU.
Joseph Cuschieri was too busy having lunch in Balluta today to be bothered.
[Daphne – He lives there; he’s a Lazy Corner boy.]
I would continue your last paragraph with another sentence.
“It is also more than clear that, despite all the time he has spent in this world, Joseph Cuschieri neither has any idea whatsoever how things in it work.”
The problem is for Cuchieri’s attention span to last at least 30 seconds.