The EU is facing an insitutional crisis because it lacks a common policy on migration and member states do not agree on issues covering frontier management, a union migration policy and burden sharing proposals, Labour MEP Alfed Sant said.
Migration is a European problem. Today we first try to deter migrants taking to the sea and try to save them when they are in danger of drowning. Then three, four or five EU member states try to share them between themselves, depending on the size of the group. But this is not being done through EU structures, Sant, Labour Head of Delegation at the European Parliament, said on a TV programme chaired by Emmy Bezzina on SMASH TV.
The Dublin Treaty states that the first member state where migrants' finger prints are stored or an asylum claim is lodged is responsible for a person's asylum claim. Now Italy is saying that it cannot cope with more migrants on its territory.
"We also never agreed with the Dublin Treaty since Malta cannot support open ended arrivals on migrants on our small island."
Sant said that the Schengen Treaty is facilitating the movements of migrants from one EU country to another. When according to the Dublin regulation they should stay put in the country which has first received them.
"Italy is providing an Identity Card to migrants and does not keep an open eye on their movements to other EU states, including Malta so much so that recently 120 migrants coming from Italy were found staying at a disused farm in Qormi," he said.
Sant said that even Horst Seehofer, German Interior Minister and Leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) in Bavaria wanted to introduce more stringent border controls which would clash with Schengen rules. Schengen has permitted a substantial number of migrants from Italy and Austria to enter Bavaria and for the first time in 50 years German conservatives are fearing losing the looming elections. Chancellor Merkel resisted Seehofer's proposals because they could lead to a dismantlement of the Schengen zone.
Sant said this is the problem Europe is facing at the moment. Furthermore fear exists among most Europeans that Islam could overcome the Christian system in Europe.
"We, the Italians, the French, all Europeans are conscious of this problem. This is a European challenge which entails economic, social and historical factors. How do we use funds to control this phenomenon? How are we going to ensure a common European policy acceptable to all EU member states? We're still far away from finding a solution on migration," Sant said
from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2PJxNNa
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