An open letter, signed by various notable middle Europeans
Our duty in central Europe is to show compassion to refugees We are facing a humanitarian crisis on an enormous scale. Hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East and Africa are attempting to reach Europe in search of safety, hope, and the chance to lead a normal life. Not so long ago, we were the ones knocking on Europe’s door.
We must not deny them our help. Regrettably, there are many in our region who disagree. After 1989, there were doubts in the European community regarding the capacity of central European countries, from the Baltic states through Romania and Bulgaria, to integrate with the west, owing to our history, political traditions, and the state of our economies. Yet our part of Europe has not been the principal cause of the threats to the union in this difficult decade. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/22/our-duty-in-central-europe-is-to-show-compassion-to-refugees
No more liberal Europe. On the next elections throughout Europe, the picture will be much different. No wonder far right parties are getting more popular as there are more illegal migrants coming in. The irony is that our leaders chose to ignore the issue instead of dealing with it by not allowing anyone but genuine refugees into Europe and under limited conditions. In the end, tax payers, the hard working middle class people will pay for all the mistakes made by our leaders.
Migrant crisis: Opponents furious over new EU quotas Central European countries have reacted angrily after plans to relocate 120,000 migrants across the continent were approved by EU interior ministers.
Under the scheme, migrants will be moved from Italy, Greece and Hungary to other EU countries.
But Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary voted against accepting mandatory quotas.
Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman said: "Only the future will show what a mistake this was."
The BBC's Europe correspondent Chris Morris says it is highly unusual for an issue like this - which involves national sovereignty - to be decided by majority vote rather than a unanimous decision.
In the latest reaction:
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says he will not accept the new terms and will not "respect this diktat of the majority"
Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec tweets: "Very soon we will realise the emperor has no clothes. Today was a defeat for common sense"
Radio Prague reports that the Czech Republic could seek to take the matter to the European Court of Justice
In Latvia, whose interior minister backed the move, hundreds of people march against the quotas
Hungary will respect Tuesday's decision, a government spokesman says
Under the EU's constitution, a country that does not agree with a policy on migration imposed upon it could have the right to appeal to the European Council - if it feels "the fundamental principles of its social security or legal system are under threat". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34331126
Thanks, Fermyn. I stand corrected. I thought we had a vote. In which case I can see why May said what she said. I wouldn't bet against a lot of civil servants, past and present, thinking, "We told you so. But you all thought we were just a bunch of little Englanders." (Although the Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish will probably feel a little insulted by that term;-))
"The Croatian leader said Merkel took her foot off the brake sending many speeding to Germany, then stepped back on the brake causing a massive traffic jam in nearby countries."
"Apart from the fight over quotas, much of Tuesday’s negotiations focused on how to keep refugees and migrants out through quicker deportation procedures, the faster screening and fingerprinting of people arriving on the EU’s southern borders, and helping neighbouring countries in the Balkans and the Middle East, notably Turkey, to stop people heading for the EU.
The latter prevention and pre-emption strategies will also preoccupy Wednesday’s summit. The policies presuppose substantial increases in staffing and resources for EU police and border agencies and the ceding of national authority over borders to the same EU agencies, none of which is proceeding very quickly."
This is the really important part and I can't find any details of what was actually discussed.
Sorry but I haven't caught up on any relevant posts. Has this been linked?
"Decision on relocation for 120,000 persons adopted today, by large majority of member states," the EU's Luxembourg presidency said in a tweet after an emergency meeting in Brussels.
"We, Slovaks, Romanians, Hungarians against, and Finland abstained. The resolution was accepted," Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said in a separate tweet.
The four countries, led by Hungary, are bitterly opposed to the European Commission plan, insisting Brussels has no right to make them take in thousands of the people seeking refuge in Europe.
To do so, amounts to a violation of national sovereignty, they argue.
It means that the Commission failed to get unanimous backing from all 28 member states for its relocation plan ahead of an emergency EU leaders summit Wednesday on the worst migrant crisis since World War II.
The squabble was a repeat of the interior ministers meeting last week but this time, pressed by France and Germany, the plan was put to a vote.
The outcome is binding on all 28 member states although implementation may prove problematic.
I think this iS just the tip of the iceberg now the floodgates are well and truly open. There's all the people who they say have come ahead and will send for their families later.
Then there's the fact that Muslim men can have up to four wives and they breed like rabbits, 6-10 kids is quite normal for one wife, let alone 4!!
I think this iS just the tip of the iceberg now the floodgates are well and truly open. There's all the people who they say have come ahead and will send for their families later.
Then there's the fact that Muslim men can have up to four wives and they breed like rabbits, 6-10 kids is quite normal for one wife, let alone 4!!
I wonder if the Islamic world is having a good old laugh at Europe right now.
And all because Germany still feels guilty about the holocaust.
the whole thing is a joke. they are just encouraging millions more to set off and it was sweden and germany who started this all off. italy also on the libyan coast. why should everyone else pay to wreck their countries for their disastrous mistakes. i bet turkey and the gulf states are laughing at how gullible and timid europe has become...germany is slowly destroying europe as nation states
Well when people trot to their local voting booths and elect a load of right-wing parties with strong anti-immigration messages we will all know who to blame.
Migrant crisis: Opponents furious over new EU quotas Central European countries have reacted angrily after plans to relocate 120,000 migrants across the continent were approved by EU interior ministers.
Under the scheme, migrants will be moved from Italy, Greece and Hungary to other EU countries.
But Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary voted against accepting mandatory quotas.
Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman said: "Only the future will show what a mistake this was."
The BBC's Europe correspondent Chris Morris says it is highly unusual for an issue like this - which involves national sovereignty - to be decided by majority vote rather than a unanimous decision.
In the latest reaction:
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says he will not accept the new terms and will not "respect this diktat of the majority"
Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec tweets: "Very soon we will realise the emperor has no clothes. Today was a defeat for common sense"
Radio Prague reports that the Czech Republic could seek to take the matter to the European Court of Justice
In Latvia, whose interior minister backed the move, hundreds of people march against the quotas Hungary will respect Tuesday's decision, a government spokesman says Under the EU's constitution, a country that does not agree with a policy on migration imposed upon it could have the right to appeal to the European Council - if it feels"the fundamental principles of its social security or legal system are under threat". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34331126
H'mmm. Strange. .Anyone else think that Hungary will have a Plan B up its sleeve?
Indeed, despite the assurances that Germany is super brilliant at deporting people, from what I read about it there are loads and loads of no shows, delays etc
And in any event, these young men will just disappear before it even gets to that stage, whether they go to Calais and make their way across the channel or go to France or other nations, they won't be returning from whence they came.
I just don't see why people don't realise that! The way that it is reported is "don't worry. The economic migrants will be sent back". But this is not reality.
A C4 news reporter interviewed an Afghan refugee who said that he was happy he got Europe and that he had a future here and he will die here. I don't suppose he is aware of the EU laws, which might make it difficult for some of them to remain here forever. In any event, neither the US nor the EU have good track records on returning people back to their homelands. I doubt this will be any different.
Well when people trot to their local voting booths and elect a load of right-wing parties with strong anti-immigration messages we will all know who to blame.
That has already happened. The Tories and UKIP received 15m votes in the general election.
An open letter, signed by various notable middle Europeans
Our duty in central Europe is to show compassion to refugees We are facing a humanitarian crisis on an enormous scale. Hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East and Africa are attempting to reach Europe in search of safety, hope, and the chance to lead a normal life. Not so long ago, we were the ones knocking on Europe’s door.
We must not deny them our help. Regrettably, there are many in our region who disagree. After 1989, there were doubts in the European community regarding the capacity of central European countries, from the Baltic states through Romania and Bulgaria, to integrate with the west, owing to our history, political traditions, and the state of our economies. Yet our part of Europe has not been the principal cause of the threats to the union in this difficult decade. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/22/our-duty-in-central-europe-is-to-show-compassion-to-refugees
All I see is the political and intellectual elite once again lecturing the majority on morality.
A bunch of upper and middle class liberals (sculptor, poets, writers, actors, directors, philosophers, etc.) and people with a vested interest (human rights lawyers and activists, sociologists, Eurocrats, business leaders, etc.) lecturing 503 million people on decisions that will shape the future of the continent that they will leave to their children.
And, of course, ignoring all the uncomfortable realities and glaring failures of their shameless ideological idealism up to now.
Much of the current crisis and the disastrous failure to address it has been a direct result of their wishy-washy, hand-wringing, sentimentalized, idealistic, ideological approach.
.....Elsewhere in Europe, while there is admiration for Merkel’s generous asylum policies, there is little appetite to emulate them and, following Berlin’s role in July in dictating the terms of Greece’s new eurozone bailout, a wariness that in every big European crisis the rest are having to dance to Germany’s tune. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/22/eu-governments-divisive-quotas-deal-share-120000-refugees
All I see is the political and intellectual elite once again lecturing the majority on morality.
A bunch of upper and middle class liberals (sculptor, poets, writers, actors, directors, philosophers, etc.) and people with a vested interest (human rights lawyers and activists, sociologists, Eurocrats, business leaders, etc.) lecturing 503 million people on decisions that will shape the future of the continent that they will leave to their children.
And, of course, ignoring all the uncomfortable realities and glaring failures of their shameless ideological idealism up to now.
Much of the current crisis and the disastrous failure to address it has been a direct result of their wishy-washy, hand-wringing, sentimentalized, idealistic, ideological approach.
Comments
Yes, it is very misleading.
i) European leaders should be thinking first of their own voters
ii) Where do the next 120,000 go?
Our duty in central Europe is to show compassion to refugees
We are facing a humanitarian crisis on an enormous scale. Hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East and Africa are attempting to reach Europe in search of safety, hope, and the chance to lead a normal life. Not so long ago, we were the ones knocking on Europe’s door.
We must not deny them our help. Regrettably, there are many in our region who disagree. After 1989, there were doubts in the European community regarding the capacity of central European countries, from the Baltic states through Romania and Bulgaria, to integrate with the west, owing to our history, political traditions, and the state of our economies. Yet our part of Europe has not been the principal cause of the threats to the union in this difficult decade.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/22/our-duty-in-central-europe-is-to-show-compassion-to-refugees
No more liberal Europe. On the next elections throughout Europe, the picture will be much different. No wonder far right parties are getting more popular as there are more illegal migrants coming in. The irony is that our leaders chose to ignore the issue instead of dealing with it by not allowing anyone but genuine refugees into Europe and under limited conditions. In the end, tax payers, the hard working middle class people will pay for all the mistakes made by our leaders.
Central European countries have reacted angrily after plans to relocate 120,000 migrants across the continent were approved by EU interior ministers.
Under the scheme, migrants will be moved from Italy, Greece and Hungary to other EU countries.
But Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary voted against accepting mandatory quotas.
Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman said: "Only the future will show what a mistake this was."
The BBC's Europe correspondent Chris Morris says it is highly unusual for an issue like this - which involves national sovereignty - to be decided by majority vote rather than a unanimous decision.
In the latest reaction:
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says he will not accept the new terms and will not "respect this diktat of the majority"
Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec tweets: "Very soon we will realise the emperor has no clothes. Today was a defeat for common sense"
Radio Prague reports that the Czech Republic could seek to take the matter to the European Court of Justice
In Latvia, whose interior minister backed the move, hundreds of people march against the quotas
Hungary will respect Tuesday's decision, a government spokesman says
Under the EU's constitution, a country that does not agree with a policy on migration imposed upon it could have the right to appeal to the European Council - if it feels "the fundamental principles of its social security or legal system are under threat".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34331126
Thanks, Fermyn. I stand corrected. I thought we had a vote. In which case I can see why May said what she said. I wouldn't bet against a lot of civil servants, past and present, thinking, "We told you so. But you all thought we were just a bunch of little Englanders." (Although the Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish will probably feel a little insulted by that term;-))
Sorry but I haven't caught up on any relevant posts. Has this been linked?
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/europe-migrants.14fb
.
There is surely more than 120, 000 here already?
I posted a video link to that a few pages back, if you want to look
Then there's the fact that Muslim men can have up to four wives and they breed like rabbits, 6-10 kids is quite normal for one wife, let alone 4!!
I wonder if the Islamic world is having a good old laugh at Europe right now.
And all because Germany still feels guilty about the holocaust.
Channel 4 News said tonight that 120,000 migrants are arriving in Europe every 20 days so the redistribution will be regular and on-going.
H'mmm. Strange. .Anyone else think that Hungary will have a Plan B up its sleeve?
I wouldnt want to be one of the people sent there
A C4 news reporter interviewed an Afghan refugee who said that he was happy he got Europe and that he had a future here and he will die here. I don't suppose he is aware of the EU laws, which might make it difficult for some of them to remain here forever. In any event, neither the US nor the EU have good track records on returning people back to their homelands. I doubt this will be any different.
But to be fair, there are some people who also would like them not to forget it either.
Helpful Idiots google it
That has already happened. The Tories and UKIP received 15m votes in the general election.
Of course they shouldn't forget. That's not the same thing as letting it dictate the present though.
Tbh, I fear that by Europe throwing open the doors now, it could lead to an even greater holocaust in the future.
i think the term's actually Useful Idiots.
Sorry my bad
All I see is the political and intellectual elite once again lecturing the majority on morality.
A bunch of upper and middle class liberals (sculptor, poets, writers, actors, directors, philosophers, etc.) and people with a vested interest (human rights lawyers and activists, sociologists, Eurocrats, business leaders, etc.) lecturing 503 million people on decisions that will shape the future of the continent that they will leave to their children.
And, of course, ignoring all the uncomfortable realities and glaring failures of their shameless ideological idealism up to now.
Much of the current crisis and the disastrous failure to address it has been a direct result of their wishy-washy, hand-wringing, sentimentalized, idealistic, ideological approach.
And we're sick of it.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/22/eu-governments-divisive-quotas-deal-share-120000-refugees
Well said.