UK failing to share the burden of migration?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.guardian.c...risis-southern-europe

/// Next week, the high court in London will hear evidence that asylum seekers and refugees face severe destitution in Italy. Lawyers for an asylum seeker, known as EM, will argue that although he passed through Italy on his way to the UK, he should not be sent back, as conditions there are a breach of his human rights.///

If EM passes through Italy on his way to the UK, then how can the Dublin regulations be working?

/// A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "The Dublin regulation is a simple way of ensuring that the first safe country an asylum seeker reaches takes responsibility for their protection. We will not support measures to abolish this system or suspend transfers under it." ///

/// Italian immigration minister, Sonia Viale said "I think it is a duty of all EU member states to support the countries under a strong migration pressure".///

Got to agree with her there, but when did we ever receive any support from EU member states?

/// In Rome, the Guardian found widespread destitution among asylum seekers and refugees,///

/// a ruling in January from the European court of human rights that conditions in Greece are inhumane and degrading. ///

Instead of putting the blame on Northern European States, the EU should be demanding that countries such as Italy and Greece treat their immigrants more humanely.

[Whickerman]

agreed, for once.

[anotheoldgit]

Thankfully it does happen sometimes.

"One can please some of the people some of the time, but one cannot please all of the people all of the time".

[rojash]

"the EU should be demanding that countries such as Italy and Greece treat their immigrants more humanely."

I agree absolutely, but what you seem to have missed is this bit: "I think it is a duty of all EU member states to support the countries under a strong migration pressure"

You see, although you are always banging on about immigrants in the UK, the pressure on countries which form the borders between the EU and (for example) the former Soviet Bloc, and North Africa. Have a look at a map and see where Libya is in relation to Italy and Greece and maybe you'll understand.

[anotheoldgit]

rojash

But don't we also have the same problem by being only a short distance from mainland Europe?

And were do the majority of asylum seekers head for in the end?

Most likely these from Italy and Greece will eventually catch on, this is 'Rainbows End' the land of milk and honey.

[rojash]

"But don't we also have the same problem by being only a short distance from mainland Europe? "
Errm no. Greece and Italy are on the border between Europe and the rest of the world. You are on the border between Europe and the Atlantic Ocean.

[sandyRoe]

Lampedusa, an island which is part of Italy, is only 70 miles from the African coast. Greece has a land border with Turkey where thousands of people aiming to get into Europe congregate. The EU does have a duty to help both of them.

[anotheoldgit]

/// Greece and Italy are on the border between Europe and the rest of the world.You are on the border between Europe and the Atlantic Ocean.///

The rest of the world?

Not sure I understand your geography on this one, how do they get to Japan, Australia, New Zealand etc etc?

Are we not even worse off than Italy and Greece, when they get here there is nowhere else left to go, unless they care to swim the Atlantic.

[anotheoldgit]

Steve.5

What's Abe?

[rojash]

"Not sure I understand your geography on this one"

Good grief it's pretty simple!

Non-Europeans fleeing war or economic woes can easily reach Greece and Italy. They are the first countries within the EU that they arrive at.
In order to get to the UK, they have to travel through the rest of Europe.

[rov1100]

Italy have only themselves to blame. When their patrol boats pick up the refugees they should take them back from where they came.

Expecting the rest of Europe to solve their refugee crisis is not much different from solving their enormous debt problem.

[anotheoldgit]

rojash

That is not what you said.