Beware of compulsory burden sharing - Dutch minister

Mario Bajada

May 31st 2009, 19:39

Thankyou Mrs.Hartmann for your welcomed compliment from us Gozitans, i have worked and lived in Holland on contract work, i know for a fact you do have a very excellent work conditions and a first class pension scheme, i used to receive travelling expenses on a monthly bases because my work place was outside the area i lived in, its normal in Holland, i paid insurances automatically out my salary everything else in the Health depart is FREE, ie., dental,hospice etc., is free, a visit to my local GP, queuing is non existent for medication needed everything was done direct to my local chemist thus no waiting time. i must admit the Dutch are well organised and i dare say all *immigrants* receive the same treament, the people that are entitled to work ofcourse have the F.O.M. But ofcourse Malta being a small island we can only do so much and ofcourse as we all know charitiy begins at home, take the case of Gozo, most have to travel to Malta on a daily bases for work, let alone more immigrants, so i say thanks to the Dutch for their initiative. more then i can say for the Italians.

Mv.Jannie Hartmann

May 31st 2009, 12:14

Sorr y Mr.Caruana with respect i am a Dutch National and its our Dutch government's initiative who made the first move and took some burden sharing of your immigrants so please don't look a gift horse in the mouth and be grateful, we have over 70 different nationalities in the Netherlands and live harmonously and yes we moan, thats because immigrants are receiving better treatment then my own people, one instance , do you know that new arrivals have comfortable homes and complexes although they are not allowed to work till they are processed, but we have Dutch cleaners who do all the necessarry work for them, cleaning etc., etc.,. i suggest now that you guys are in the EU, and can live and work in my country with a better standard of living and SEE for yoursleves how the other half live. We are very grateful for the excellent retirement pensions and Health insurances we receive from Holland enough for us to retire comfortably in a nice warm country such as yours. Thankyou for your friendly hospitality especially the lovely people in Gozo

Paul Caruana

May 30th 2009, 18:51

Oh I see....how touching to hear the Dutch minister coming out against compulsory burden sharing....in Malta's interest of course!

At this stage I would expect the Dutch goverment NOT to open its mouth in self righteous indigation the next time Malta/Italy repatriate illegal migrants back to Libya.

Anthony Attard

May 30th 2009, 18:32

Malta approves the most aslyum applications then any other European county, 53% and that is a fact!!! Many European countries are concerned about this high acceptance rate and rightly do not want to accept burden sharing from a country that grants humanitarian protection at the 'drop of a hat'. This only encourages illegal immigrantion, countries in the E.U such as Estonia, Lativa and Lithuania receive little illegal immigration compared to us and in light of Malta's irresponsible attitude to illegal immigration. I would strongly urge them not to accept the burden. They should go to Marsa and see what would happen to their communities!

The Maltese government attitude is irresponsible, they have encouraged illegal immigration and so have Maltese employers. Maltese love to employ Africans over Maltese, my cousins husband himself a bulider told me he only wants to employ them!

Maltese woman love Africans as well. Malta is complaining and we responible for this problem!!! On 6 June vote very responsibly both PN and Labour are soft on illegal immigration!

I agree with Ms Nebahat Albayrak and anyone who thinks I am racist, I had a partner of Turkish descent just like Ms Nebahat Albayrak!!! :-)

lgalea

May 30th 2009, 18:21

Antonia Dalli
Dream on Antonia, dream on.

C Eebejer

May 30th 2009, 17:53

Good for the Italians, that they were strong enough to send the illegal immigrants back. We should follow suite, and do the same. After all as someone said illegal is always illegal.

"While the Netherlands was not prepared to take more migrants from Malta at this stage, it was the first to voluntarily resettle migrants from Malta" So it is ok for the netherlands to decide that they cannot take any more illegal immigrants, but Malta has to accept all those that enter our shores illegally!!

In a few years time the Maltese generation would be lost amongst the African generations that are making our homeland their home!!

Lanqas haqq kemm stinkaw ta' qabilna u ahna wkoll biex naghmlu Malta ahjar, ghax zgur se nitilfugha!

Joe Grech

May 30th 2009, 17:15

How shortsighted and irresponsible are the recommendations by Dutch Nebahat Albayrakjth - that Europe should set up a ''framework that would safeguard human rights'' and that an asylum agency should be set up in Libya (sic) to ''process would be migrants before ''allocated them to different EU member states!'' Such stupid thinking will open Europe's doors to all the millions of Africans desiring to reach Europe!
Putting ''human rights'' before European interests will be a serious mistake that will surely destabilise the continent. European leaders should put European interests before everything else.
Albayrakjth declares that "Malta and the Netherlands are willing to take responsibility and integrate newcomers'' - this is a LIE for the Maltese and (probably) the Dutch populations are reluctant to integrate any illegals into their societies for this will create serious problems in time.
"I am a believer in Europe. If there is one area where Europe works, it is in asylum,'' Nebahat Albayrakjth dec;ares. This explains why Europe is being torn apart, destabilised, ruined economically. Burden sharing will attract more illegal immigrants to Europe. The only solution consists in forcefully preventing landings, and repatriating all arrivals to Africa or sharing them out amongst all European countries.

Charles Sammut

May 30th 2009, 14:59

Why should African asylum seekers end up in Europe? There are plenty of safe countries in African where they can live until it is safe to return to their country.

At this rate, Europe will be Africanised in a matter of decades. Some heritage we are leaving our children. What would have been our reaction had our forefathers done this to us?

Lorry Coleiro

May 30th 2009, 14:11

The solution proposed by the established parties MLPN and AD, Burden Sharing, continues to be discredited by politicians around Europe!

This continues to prove that Norman Lowell was right, when 5 years ago he proposed the only viable solution, Stop them at 14 miles OUT! Same solutions the Italians are engaging at the moment!

It is now our choice to elect in Brussels the politicians who are putting forward the only real solutions!

Antonia Dalli

May 30th 2009, 14:01

One half of Africa will not apply for refugee status because most Africans, like all people, prefer to stay at home unless they absolutely must leave. Look at Somalia, the bulk of its citizens remain there even though the country is broken.

And of those who do leave home, a sizeable chuck will choose to go back when things calm down, just as refugees in the past did.

There is no place like home.

John Azzopardi

May 30th 2009, 13:29

I think we all should thank the Italians for having the power and means to tackle the illegal immigration problem by taking the illegals back to Libya. We haven't seen any boats crossing so far with the exception of the one landing in Gozo. I do believe the Italians means business. Now, we just have to wait and see what the ineffective Frontex will bring and what will happen after the EU election is over. At the end of the day, it's us the people who must make the most noise to stop this nonsense once and for all. Illegal is illegal. There is no other way to describe it. I am also glad to see the PL, some PN officials (not all), the army commander and police officials speaking up about this issue. The people are behind anyone who effectively deals and speaks about this issue as the concern is warranted. We didn't see Malta built and gain it's independence to be taken over or populated by illegal immigrants who do not share our values. Let's be real here. Malta is too small and to create another large community in our midst is not acceptable.

joe briffa

May 30th 2009, 12:31

Enough of this back to libya and repatriation,its a lost challenge to us and whoever is concerned,these people do not leave Libya on a dinghy or any small vehicle,they are guided to Malta or the concerned islands as the islands are too small to reach on just a dinghy especially on rough seas,unless there is a good seafarer or seaman,who nevertheless must be super experienced and that is the true practicak side. What we hear and see on internet and all the media is only to distract us from the practical and true side of things.

Another thing to be aware and we are ignoring is that whoever comes into any european state without any passport is a criminal offence but here its not only a criminal offence but we are giving these people the freedom to move and work illegally without any hassle at all,as there are no controls of any kind especially on construction sites or anybody who wants a dirty job done.

And this comes only from the highest authorities,its their fault and only their fault,we voted for these people to take care of us not dump us with unwanted burdens.

George pace

May 30th 2009, 12:28

What if half the population of Africa applied for refugee status ?? How is the benevolent EU to tackle such a massive problem ? Malta doies not have the space or the finances to even contemplate falling in line with whatever policy the EU hatches. We have had enough we do not WANT any refugees on our island irrespective of the reason for coming here.

lgalea

May 30th 2009, 12:20

Joanne Micallef, louise vella
Totally agree with both of you.

Joanne Micallef

May 30th 2009, 10:56

Once the Libya office becomes a reality, the ONLY way to send a clear message to African migrants that do not qualify for asylum would be to detain them indefinitely until they decide to collaborate and use the voluntary repatriation scheme minus the 5000 Euros offcourse.
As for the comment regarding Minister Mifsud Bonnici being the most active minister, only highlights the fact that Malta, until now, was very passive when it came to illegal immigration.
It is also very strange how despite the good weather no boatloads have been crossing over, very fishy indeed, especially if the landings will resume once the MEP elections are over.

louise vella

May 30th 2009, 10:30

“Italy's move to send immigrants back to Libya forced the EU to …”

Italy’s move was the best thing ever done to deal with the illegal immigrants' crisis.

“she backed the proposal to set up an asylum agency in Libya by which migrants can be processed before being allocated to different EU member states.”

Why not to different African states?

“compulsory burden-sharing the government was pursuing could have "disastrous" consequences for Malta because it could attract more asylum-seekers to make the treacherous journey from Africa.”

We have been saying that for a long time.

“clear message to African migrants that unless they were genuine refugees they would be stopped at the border.”

Border control is of the essence.