‘No time frame’ for EU migrant plan

Louise Vella

Sep 27th 2012, 12:21

Mr Waschnig says he is not German. But he lives in Germany. I am Maltese. What is Mr Washcnig 's nationality? If he tells us we shall see if his nationality gives him the right to lecture the Maltese on human rights. Human rights may be universal but Malta does not have an obligation to guarantee the human rights of the whole population of the world or even the whole population of Africa. First let's defend the human rights and the national interest of Malta and the Maltese.

Charles W. Sammut

Sep 27th 2012, 09:26

At this week's Europarl Forum on Burden Sharing, MEP Kyriacos Triantaphyllides brought up the long debunked argument that Europe needs immigrants. With up to 50% youth unemployment in some EU countries, what are these immigrants supposed to do? Most end up in ghettos, unemployed and involved in criminal activity. And if Europe really needs immigrants, why do they send them back to us when some of them manage to escape from Malta? Why did France suspend the Schengen agreement at the Italian border when thousands of Tunisian refugees moved north? According to Mr Triantaphyllides, France should have welcomed them with open arms.

Sorry, you were not credible. The people cannot be fooled for ever. Personally I do not agree with Burden Sharing. It will only encourage more illegal immigration with more lives lost at sea. Moreover, why should our European cousins be saddled with this problem? It has to be eradicated at source.

John Zammit

Sep 26th 2012, 17:12

Results don't come easy. In the 1960's I used to lobby and campaign against censorship and for having Playboy in Malta. In the 1990's I lobbied and campaigned against the impediment of departure, the introduction of divorce, the need of a Family Court and mediation in family problems at the family court. Today these have been obtained. Many used to tell me that what I was doing was in vain! So I think that what Simon Busuttil is doing is not in vein, it is the beginning that will end one day in victory for Malta in this immigration problem. Be patienced and give support to Simon and you will see that there will be results - www.john-zammit.eu

Kurt Waschnig

Sep 26th 2012, 15:02

Keeping asylum seekers in detention centres and to expose them to unbearable conditions can never be tolerated.

There is no other way as to get rid of detention centres.

Children, pregnant women, old and sick people shall never be kept at detention centres.

Organisations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Jesuit Refugee Service will continue to raise their voices and to publish reports.

Mr Triantaphyllides visited the detention centre at Lyster Barracks, Ħal Far, whose conditions he described as “not as bad as those in Lampedusa and Greece, but still bad”.

Asylum seekers put their lives at risk by crossing the Mediterranean and after their arrival they are brought to detention centres.

They faced despotic regimes, wars, suppression and torture in their countries and lot of them suffer from heavy traumas and other psychological disorders.

It is deeply inhuman to keep these vulnerable in detention centres, Amnesty International describes this practise as a BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
The report is available and can be viewed on the Internet.

I refer to another report published by Medecins Sans Frontieres, a highly regarded human rights organisation.

The reports says: “Medecins Sans Frontieres reports on living conditions in Malta´s detention centres. It says the influx of new arrivals is causing further deterioration of already inhuman living conditions for detainees. Overcrowding, appalling hygiene and inadequate shelter in the centres expose detainees to the risk of skin and respiratory infections. Access to healthcare is poor, and the detainees’ health suffers as a consequence. Detainees with infectious diseases are held in the same areas as healthy people, contributing to the spread of epidemics. Patients have to wait days, sometimes weeks, before they receive the medication prescribed during consultations. Vulnerable people – pregnant women, children and sick people – are all kept in detention centres and are only eligible for release once a decision is taken based on their individual case.


Mr Triantaphyllides is wrong, the living conditions are worst.

Detention centres have no place in any democratic society. Detention policy must be changed.

Human rights are a pillar of democracy and a defining characteristic of all nations that value and believe in liberty and are a safeguard against oppression and dictatorial tendencies.

I said it various comments: Human rights are universal rights and we as Europeans have the duty to defend the needy, the poor and vulnerable.

Asylum seekers need solidarity and help.

Without economic justice and global solidarity the influx of migrants cannot be stopped.


Best regards


Kurt Waschnig Oldenburg Germany


e-mail: [email protected]

Francis Sammut

Sep 26th 2012, 13:52

Mr. Triantaphillides, you mentioned Greece and Lampedusa, could we or do we know what kind of conditions exist in Cyprus, for irregular immigrants, please?

Kurt Waschnig

Sep 26th 2012, 13:03

Keeping asylum seekers in detention centres and to expose them to unbearable conditions can never be tolerated.

There is no other way as to get rid of detention centres.

Children, pregnant women, old and sick people shall never be kept at detention centres.

Organisations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Jesuit Refugee Service will continue to raise their voices and to publish reports.

Mr Triantaphyllides visited the detention centre at Lyster Barracks, Ħal Far, whose conditions he described as “not as bad as those in Lampedusa and Greece, but still bad”.

Asylum seekers put their lives at risk by crossing the Mediterranean and after their arrival they are brought to detention centres.

They faced despotic regimes, wars, suppression and torture in their countries and lot of them suffer from heavy traumas and other psychological disorders.

It is deeply inhuman to keep these vulnerable in detention centres, Amnesty International describes this practise as a BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
The report is available and can be viewed on the Internet.

I refer to another report published by Medecins Sans Frontieres, a highly regarded human rights organisation.

The reports says: “Medecins Sans Frontieres reports on living conditions in Malta´s detention centres. It says the influx of new arrivals is causing further deterioration of already inhuman living conditions for detainees. Overcrowding, appalling hygiene and inadequate shelter in the centres expose detainees to the risk of skin and respiratory infections. Access to healthcare is poor, and the detainees’ health suffers as a consequence. Detainees with infectious diseases are held in the same areas as healthy people, contributing to the spread of epidemics. Patients have to wait days, sometimes weeks, before they receive the medication prescribed during consultations. Vulnerable people – pregnant women, children and sick people – are all kept in detention centres and are only eligible for release once a decision is taken based on their individual case.


Mr Triantaphyllides is wrong, the living conditions are worst.

Detention centres have no place in any democratic society. Detention policy must be changed.

Human rights are a pillar of democracy and a defining characteristic of all nations that value and believe in liberty and are a safeguard against oppression and dictatorial tendencies.

I said it various comments: Human rights are universal rights and we as Europeans have the duty to defend the needy, the poor and vulnerable.

Asylum seekers need solidarity and help.

Without economic justice and global solidarity the influx of migrants cannot be stopped.


Best regards


Kurt Waschnig Oldenburg Germany


e-mail: [email protected]

Louise Vella

Sep 26th 2012, 12:16

As EASO is as helpless as the European Parliament at burden sharing, what is it doing to keep the burden away? How is it helping to strengthen FRONTEX and to turn it into a strong coastguard to defend Malta's southern border?

stephen koludrovic

Sep 26th 2012, 10:53

In my books, no time frame would mean that they will have countless more seminars, and nothing would ever be done.

Alfred J. McEwen

Sep 26th 2012, 10:35

Alfred J. McEwen

If the EU can help it, there will be no time frame at all or a move towards solidarity. The policies of the northern European countries are quite clear that they do not want to absorb any number large or small of illegal immigrants, and that sentiment is unlikely to change, Simon Busuttil can lobby as intensely as he likes but no country in it`s right mind is going to listen to him.