Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-06-06-Speech-3-128"
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"en.20070606.15.3-128"2
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".
Mr President, illegal immigration should be addressed as a matter of urgency, because that is what it has been for a while. The first hesitant steps have been taken. This does not alter the fact, though, that in 2007, there is still much interference on the line where the issue is concerned of who is responsible for rescuing people from drowning, whether they are legal or illegal. Staggeringly, it appears that not everybody takes the moral and lawful duty equally seriously. Of course, as Mrs Roure pointed out a moment ago, Malta has a difficult job where the large influx of illegals is concerned. This is beyond dispute. We should therefore get this so wished for and much-discussed solidarity underway as quickly as possible. It also strikes me that the swift introduction of a burden sharing-mechanism is called for.
This reality, though, does not in any way justify the way in which Malta thinks it should handle its moral and lawful duty. After all, we are talking about an EU Member State, which means that we as a Union are responsible. While Malta and Libya cannot agree on the precise location of 27 people drowning, they hang on to fishing nets for three days. This is not an isolated incident, unfortunately. Absurd. We all know that Libya is not exactly renowned for being the paradise of human rights or humane opinions, far from it. The fact that the Union is at risk of adopting the same view on these drowning people is an outright scandal.
Yesterday in my discussion dossier for the Committee on Transport and Tourism, I came across a study on illegal immigrants at sea, the actions proposed in which should be implemented as a matter of priority. Commissioner Frattini will need to join forces with Commissioner Barrot in this. Money alone is not enough. You know very well that it is precisely the Council that has the key where the conditions regarding the return of illegal immigrants are concerned. Let it at the same time and above all be clear that nobody, yes nobody, should hide behind so-called legal loopholes in international maritime law, for example. Where there is a political will, there is definitely a way.
I should like to finish off with a comment to the Council. Presidents of the Council, you can include Berlin declarations, in which European values are central, until the cows come home. If nothing at all is done in practice, however, then reality gives us a totally different picture and you as President of the Council are putting the EU’s credibility in the balance. Translate the fine words you so like to proclaim, and which you did a moment ago, into action. I would urge you to fulfil the ambitions you enshrined in the Tampere and The Hague programmes, among others. Deliver on your promises. With all due respect, a debate next week is fantastic, but is really not good enough. The issues are not new. Action is what is called for right now."@en1
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