Sant: ‘EU must understand citizens are scared of humanitarian crisis’

Labour MEP Alfred Sant told counterparts from the S&D group and representatives of EU national parliaments that the European Union must be more sensitive to member states receiving thousands of refugees and already overstretched with the refugee crisis.

The meeting was attended by Martin Schultz, President of the European Parliament and Gianni Pittella, President of the S&D, and discussed the need to shape a common stance towards a unified and coherent EU migration policy.

“The EU must understand that its citizens are scared of the humanitarian crisis caused by the influx of thousands of immigrants crossing into Europe. European citizens need to be reassured that immigration policies are being conceived and implemented in full awareness of their need for security and reassurance in their personal lives and future.

“That is why a general and financial plan at European level over the long term, to back all the statements about values that we’ve been hearing, needs to be spelled out and explained to the people,” Sant said.

The former primer minister said Europe needed a long-term plan that takes into account the social, economic and humanitarian realms, especially of those countries directly affected by the ongoing crisis.

“There needs to be a business plan that not only takes into account the short term, but also for the next 3-5 years. We need to extend lines of support to these refugees but at the same time we need to convince our people that the situation is manageable, that we need a plan of action. The EU must understand that our citizens are scared of this ongoing crisis,” Sant said.