A step forward but not enough - AD
The Green Party of Malta, Alternattiva Demokratika, considers the burden-sharing concept on illegal immigration, agreed upon in Brussels last week, as "a first step in the right direction, but is still not enough".
AD chairman Arnold Cassola said Malta is part and parcel of the common external borders of the EU. Thus, it is not a voluntary choice for Malta to be an external border but a permanent feature.
In the circumstances, AD invited all EU countries to contribute and to share the responsibility which being an EU border country brings with it.
The political work should, therefore, continue so that the better relocation of beneficiaries of international protection from "border" countries like Malta, which suffer from disproportionate pressures due to its location when compared to other EU member states, should be on a compulsory basis and not on a voluntary one, Prof. Cassola argued.
Responsibility sharing, he added, should be on a continuous basis among all and not on a voluntary basis among some. "This is what true solidarity both among EU countries and towards fellow human beings means."
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Denis Bartolo
Sep 29th 2008, 13:59
Am I right in saying that since our search and rescue area was enlarged for a pitance sum of money.
Am i once again right in saying that whoever is rescued in that area is our responsibility?
Burden sharing without a solid commitment does not mean much, it only creates uncertainty for a nation which has had enough of this burden.
Let a few of us hop on a boat and sail towards North Africa, beach up, and see what happens?
Any volunteers?
l Galea
Sep 29th 2008, 13:27
Stop daydreaming AD. You can forget that you will ever have an MEP
d. borg
Sep 29th 2008, 12:36
As far as I know until a few months ago AD was supporting illegal immigrants and branding us racists when we complained. Why the change of heart? Is an election approaching? Ah yes MEP elections.
David Seychell
Sep 29th 2008, 12:29
The EU will never accept Burden Sharing because the EU don't want to be flooded with illegal immigrants. Whoever believes in burden sharing is daydreaming.
The EU is happy using Malta as a rampart/breakwater agaisnt the waves of illegal immigrants.
Frank Muscat
Sep 29th 2008, 11:35
AD is another do-gooder who want that Africans to flourish in our island. Or are they now feeling the brunt? SHAME
l Galea
Sep 29th 2008, 11:20
Yes.
We've just seen the result of an Italian vessel picking up ILLEGAL immigrants and bringing them here instead of taking them to Italy to give effect to burden sharing.
Oh what a circus,
Oh what a joke