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Migration: MEP Cuschieri says Malta’s unhappy, Metsola calls for children’s protection
Labour MEP reiterates call for mandatory burden sharing, Nationalist MEP stresses protection of child migrants against traffickers
13 September 2013, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Labour MEP Joseph Cuschieri
Labour MEP Joseph Cuschieri told the European Parliament this week that "Malta was not happy" with answers from the European home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmström that Malta's assistance on migration had come in the form of a €85 million package.
"Malta needs to see solidarity, in practice, because irregular immigration is putting pressure on its maritime borders... once again, Malta needs a binding, fair burden sharing agreement and not a voluntary one. Malta will keep treating this matter with the seriousness it deserves, and in a responsible manner, in full respect of the people involved and of international law," Cuschieri told the EP.
Also in Strasbourg, Nationalist MEP Roberta Metsola spoke in the debate on a report on unaccompanied child migrants, which contains general recommendations and guidelines for the improvement of the situation of accompanied minors in the EU and their conditions.
The main points of the report deal with the issue of best interests of a child in various stages of the procedure, recalls various concerns over situations when provisions for unaccompanied minors are fragmented, calls for the cooperation on the third countries of origin and transit on unaccompanied minors, addresses the issues of trafficking in human beings and smuggling affecting unaccompanied minors.
"While I will continue to insist that more concrete solidarity must be shown by Member States worst affected by irregular immigration, and that a durable fair sharing of responsibilities must be agreed to, children are the most vulnerable victims of this phenomenon and must be given the highest standards of care and not detained," Metsola said.
"We have seen and heard so many stories of young children terrified and traumatised after a harrowing journey alone to Europe only to be then continue to be locked up. We believe in a European Union of dignity and principle and on these issues it must always be the best interests of the child that is our guiding factor," Metsola added.
On 16 September 2013 UNICEF and Roberta Metsola will open a photography exhibition in the European Parliament in Brussels on Children in Somalia which will coincide with the high-level Conference on 'A New Deal for Somalia' with the participation of the EU's Special Representative to the Horn of Africa, Somalia's Federal Minister for Human Development and Public Services, and UNICEF's Representative for Somalia.
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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Ever since illegal immigration started in Malta some 10 years ago, the number of Maltese poor have increased exponentially.Studies exist abroad which clearly show that competition from unskilled and illiterate illegal immigrants depress the wages of the local unskilled locals.Precarious work also started to increase when these illegal immigrants started coming here. What are we going to do cause the impact of migration on our society is going to be too big to be absorbed.
Illegal immigration in Malta is nothing but 'national suicide', cause this unskilled illegal immigration will slam the door for better prospects for our Maltese poor: already 17% of the population and growing!
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So now we know where the MEP representing the PN stands about illegal immigration. It-is not because we did not know this before, but now this MEP is asking for more protection of immigrant children from traffickers. Didn't she know that these are sent on their own and later their parents demand that they join them over here? This is an abuse committed by their own parents so they could be able to turn around the protection/asylum laws. Their excuse will be that the family should be united together. So, Roberta, open your eyes to these illegalities.
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So now we know where the MEP representing the PN stands about illegal immigration. It-is not because we did not know this before, but now this MEP is asking for more protection of immigrant children from traffickers. Didn't she know that these are sent on their own and later their parents demand that they join over here? This is an abuse committed by their own parents so they could be able to turn around the protection/asylum laws. Their excuse will be that the family should be united together. So, Roberta, open your eyes to these illegalities.
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What we want is to eliminate the cause of illegal immigration: the traffickers. The EU is reluctant to chase and track down human traffickers.
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"Labour MEP reiterates call for mandatory burden sharing, Nationalist MEP stresses protection of child migrants against traffickers". I think that says it all.
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These Meps are politicians at best and it is a big shame to use children in their plight to get ahead. How did these unaccompanied children make it to Europe? Maybe MEP Roberta Metsola should put a bit of effort and find out how an accompanied child made it all the way from darkest Africa to Europe. Yes, protect the children and that is very commendable but somebody must have brought these children out of Africa, so they are not so unaccompanied.
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Well done Roberta Metsola! Children should always be protected. It is great to have someone like Roberta Metsola representing us in the European Parliament. We want more of this.
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Of course kids should be protected but the parents that send their off spring as a stepping stone to be repatriated with their kids later on- should be arrested! Kids without parents who find themselves on these harrowing journeys should be protected and possibly fostered or adopted, but we must not allow a new kids human trafficking trade to continue. Kids should be never be separated from their parents and used as a hostage.
As for Cuschieri, I say thank you for showing how easy it is for commissioners and other people who have a large salary and perks, to pontificate about the local Maltese vulnerable people: poor Maltese people, who have precarious work, or have sick members of their family, are quickly called 'racist' if they cry out for help cause illegal immigrants( not refugees) are taking their jobs, lowering, because of supply and demand, their take home money. Whilst local lawyers, doctors, notaries, architects, accountants, have entry barriers and closed shop, to make it impossible for foreigners to work here, our poor and those working for a minimum wage, have, no protection or entry barriers, to compete for work with the poor, illiterate multitudes coming from Europe and other continents.
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Of course kids should be protected but the parents that send their off spring as a stepping stone to be repatriated with their kids later on- should be arrested! Kids without parents who find themselves on these harrowing journeys should be protected and possibly fostered or adopted, but we must not allow a new kids human trafficking trade to continue. Kids should be never be separated from their parents and used as a hostage.
As for Cuschieri, I say thank you for showing how easy it is for commissioners and other people who have a large salary and perks, to pontificate about the local Maltese vulnerable people: poor Maltese people, who have precarious work, or have sick members of their family, are quickly called 'racist' if they cry out for help cause illegal immigrants( not refugees) are taking their jobs, lowering, because of supply and demand, their take home money. Whilst local lawyers, doctors, notaries, architects, accountants, have entry barriers and closed shop, to make it impossible for foreigners to work here, our poor and those working for a minimum wage, have, no protection or entry barriers, to compete for work with the poor, illiterate multitudes coming from Europe and other continents.
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Thanks but no thanks Metsola. So first they will send their unaccompanied children than the rtest of the family would want to come here and claim family union rights. Again thanks but NO thanks Metsola. Children should be returned to sender.
