Mardi 21 janvier 2014

 Communiqué faisant suite à la conférence de presse organisée Mardi 21 janvier 2014 à 10h à la Valette (Malte) avec la sénatrice écologiste Kalliopi ANGO ELA et M. Arnold CASSOLA, candidat des Verts Matlais et Européens aux prochaines élections européennes.

Migration: save lives and drastically revise the Dublin convention, Greens say.

French Green Senator Ango Ela Kalliopi stated: « The increasing migrant tragedies in the Mediterranean demand that Europe truly implements policies for the prevention of such deaths by developing measures of legal migration and by issuing temporarary humanitarian visas in order to afford the necessary protection to such vulnerable people.
Moreover, we  French, Maltese and European greens demand that asylum seekers should be offered the possibility of  mobility within the EU countries through the drastic revision of the present Dublin convention rules ».

Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: « We European Greens are presenting a united front in our demand to overhaul the Dublin rules in such a way as to allow asylum seekers free movement in the EU once an application for asylum has been made on Maltese territory. Asylum seekers and the normal citizens are to be treated with dignity and respect.

The concept established by the Maltese government that only millionaires have talent, are individuals of high calibre and of high value is absolute rubbish ».

_____________________________________

« The increasing migrant tragedies in the Mediterranean demand that Europe truly implements policies for the prevention of such deaths by developing measures of legal migration and by issuing temporary humanitarian visas in order to afford the necessary protection to such vulnerable people, » Senator Kalliopi said.

« Moreover, we French, Maltese and European greens demand that asylum seekers should be offered the possibility of mobility within EU countries through the drastic revision of the present Dublin convention rules. »

Cassola said that the European Greens were presenting a united front in their demand to overhaul the Dublin rules in such a way as to allow asylum seekers free movement in the EU, once an application for asylum has been made on Maltese territory.

« Asylum seekers and the normal citizens are to be treated with dignity and respect. Free movement in the EU should be made available to all law abiding people, independent of their economic means, » Cassola said.

He argued that the Individual Investor Prorgamme established by the Maltese government, where only millionaires were seen « to have talent, are individuals of high caliber » and are of high value was « absolute rubbish. »

The European greens are also requesting a law that gives temporary protection to irregular migrants. One of the main problems that migrants have to face is that it is very hard for them to obtain humanitarian visas.

Cassola mentioned a case that made headlines, where a rescued father was taken to Lampedusa whilst his wife was taken to Malta. « There were a lot of difficulties to reunite them together, since they had to humanitarian visa. The Dublin convention is a catastrophe as it is, because it creates inequalities among the EU countries themselves. Southern countries like Malta are overwhelmed by this problem because they have to tackle it alone, » Cassola reiterated.

« A bigger problem is that when you get to the place, you’re stuck there. For instance, who is saved and ends up in Malta, should have the possibility to apply and freely move around the EU. »

He encouraged the EP’s two largest groups, the EPP and S&D groups, to join the European Greens in the Dublin convention amendments.

Cassola said the process of detention remained very bureaucratic and unfair. « 18 months are a lot. Six months are more than sufficient and only in certain extreme cases. Pregnant women and young individuals should not be seen as hypothetical criminals. »

Kalliopi also said that the citizenship scheme put forward by the Maltese government was unjust.

« This scheme very surprising. Citizenship is something we cannot buy. You have to ‘feel’ your nationality, you certainly cannot buy citizenship. Ties are important.  I insist that this scheme has to be reviewed. Everybody can make mistakes and hence they have to be corrected. »

Kalliopi is a Senator for French nationals overseas. 600 French people are registered and living in Malta, and they have the choice of voting for the French MEPs by postal vote or vote in Malta. However, to vote locally, they have to register by the end of March.

Kallipoli, forms part of the 12 Green senators in France, who although a small number, they are very dynamic. Kallipoli submitted various Parliamentary Questions to the French government regarding migration. « Europe has to take serious action as regards to the tragedies surrounding Lampedusa. To date, around 25,000 people died while trying to get a better life. This is a disgrace. »

Jerome Caruana Cilia

Source: Maltatoday 

______________________________________________

Pour consulter l’article en maltais du Maltarightnow, veuillez cliquer ici.

One of the proposals of the Green Party European Parliament election on May that follows will be to change the Council of Ministers of the Dublin Convention so that when immigrant has applied for refugee status in a member state of the European Union , it can go in the same Union countries .

In comments to reporters , Prof Arnold Cassola , who will be contesting the elections on behalf of the AD explained that this proposal will be included in the electoral program expected to approve the Green Party European of next month in Brussels .

He said that does not make sense to who has the money and buy citizenship , have the privilege to go from one country to another without restrictions , and those not money but has refugee status can not make this.

Currently, here in our country and the French Green Senator ANGO ELA Kallioppi, which in its comments to the media talked about tragedies increase in immigrants in the Mediterranean , specifically to that of Lampedusa , and said that Europe should work on a political level to prevent these deaths .

Source: Maltarightnow 21 ta’ Jannar, 2014

___________________________________________

The green support drastic change in the rules of Dublin

iNEWSMalta 12:32  |  21.01.2014

The French Greens Senator , ANGO ELA Kalliopi , said it’s time to change the Dublin Convention . She has been talking to Malta this morning 

The Dublin II establishes the principle that a member country of the European Union it is responsible for an asylum application . Therefore it is considered as a system that puts too much pressure on countries such as Malta are watching border continuous arrivals of immigrants.

Kalliopi Ango Ela said: « The increase in tragedies involving migrants in Mediterranean Europe requires very start operating policies to prevent these deaths . Necessary to develop measures to regulate legal migration and temporary humanitarian visas issued to these vulnerable people have the protection they need.  »

She added that the Greens believe that those seeking asylum have the possibility to move from one place to another within the EU countries through a drastic revision of the existing rules of the Dublin Convention .

The Chairman of the Green Party , Professor Arnold Cassola , added:  » We European Greens are presenting one united position in our call to change the rules of Dublin , in which those seeking asylum have the right to free movement within the EU , once an application for asylum on Maltese territory . Such asylum seekers as well as ordinary citizens needs to be treated with dignity and respect.  »

He said that free movement in the EU should be possible for anyone who respects the law , regardless of his or her economic means .

Source: iNEWSMALTA