Political group leaders at the EU Parliament reacted on Wednesday an agreement to firmly condemn President Donald Trump’s recent signing of an executive order banning nationals of seven countries from entering US territory.
Most members of the EU Parliament (MEPs) described the travel restrictions as arbitrary and defying the core values of western democracies, such as freedom, non-discrimination and solidarity.
Federica Mogherini (High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs) condemns US travel bans at the European parliament plenary session on 1st January 2017. © European Union 2017 – Source : EP/Jan Van de Mel.
EU High representative on Foreign Policy, Federica Mogherini, welcomed the clarification by the US authorities that EU citizens will not be affected by the travel ban, even if they hold the nationality of one of the seven affected countries. But she made it clear that “this does not change our overall assessment of the executive orders. (…) The EU will not turn its back on anyone who has the right to international protection“, she said, adding that “this is where we stand, this is where we will continue to stand.”
Trump explains there’s no discrimination on his travel bans
“We will keep it free and keep it safe, as the media knows, but refuses to say. My policy is similar to what President Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months. The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror. To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting.
This is not about religion – this is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order. We will again be issuing visas to all countries once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days.” commented Donald Trump (President of the USA) on a Facebook post published on 30th January.
The States affected by the ban are: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Sudan and Somalia. There are countries like Saudi Arabia that are not affected, despite 15 of the 19 hijackers, responisble for the 11th September terrorist attack came from that arab country.
The fact that no terrorist coming from the banned countries has ever acted on US soil shows, in the view of Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, BE), that “this is pure discrimination“, a measure meant to fuel populism and nationalism. He added that Europe is also threatened by those forces, and hoped that European leaders, when they gather in Valletta, will stand up to this ”bunch of populists and nationalists who want to destroy us.”
Pitella proposes banning Trump and asks airlines not to apply US travel restrictions on their passengers
“Trump was elected and we want dialogue”, said EPP group leader Manfred Weber (DE). “When Trump says he fights illegal migration or radical Islamism, we agree. But the travel ban is not that. Generalized suspicion of countries and people leads to xenophobia. The US was always a country of liberty and fundamental rights, now Trump condones torture”. By doing so, “a state becomes a criminal itself“, he added.
Gianni Pittella (S&D, IT) said: “The provisions are an attack against European legal culture and fundamental values (…). Let’s be blunt: the travel ban (…) is not against terrorism. This is a lie, a demagogic one, as it hits some countries while it does not hit those with which Trump does business! I call on air companies not to refuse passengers from the countries in the ban. And we should avoid Trump visiting the EU until the ban is in place: doors are locked for him!”
The head of the Socialist Group at the EU Parliament also asked to refuse Ted Malloch’s appointment if Trump keeps on propposing him as the US ambassador before the EU. Pitella goes futher. In his view Malloch should be declared “persona non grata”. Ted Malloch’s position against the EU is well known.
Kamall: “this arbitrary ban sends a message that there is an inherent contradiction between being a good Muslim and being a good citizen of a western democracy”
Syed Kamall (ECR, UK) said “this arbitrary ban sends a message that there is an inherent contradiction between being a good Muslim and being a good citizen of a western democracy. It simply plays in the hands of Daesh and other extremists, who make exactly the same claim […]. However, Americans voted for the candidate, who does what he promised to do. So we must accept that this President, his priorities and policies are the consequence of the growing tide of discontent.”
Kamall also pointed that there should remain quality under the law that is a sort of contract between State and
people and underscored that US travel restrictions will affect not only muslims coming from the listed countries but also the christians comming from them in their flight from armed conflicts.
GUE/NGL group leader Gabrielle Zimmer (DE), said “Let’s put our values against Trump’s contempt, let us show, with a migration policy characterised by solidarity, that people looking for protection are not the roots of all evil. (…) What would have become of Europe’s post-war democracies if the refugees from Nazism had not found a safe haven?”
“Who could have thought that the freedoms and the rights that we all assume are natural could evaporate so quickly. This is apparently how liberal democracy dies,” observed Green group leader Ska Keller (DE). She called on the EU to be the “champion of protecting international law, human rights and freedoms – let us make Europe the counter model to Trump.”
Some few members of the EU Parliament still go for the US position
Nigel Farage (EFDD, UK), said that in the US, a “genuine elected democrat is doing what he was elected to do“. He described European complaints as „proof of the „EU´s anti-Americanism“ and proposed inviting President Trump to Parliament for an “open dialogue.“
ENF group co-chair Marcel De Graaff (NL), called upon European Council President Tusk and the Commission to “follow the example of President Trump, install national border controls. Keep jihadists out. Not just from the 7 countries Trump singled out, but of many more.”
Image over the headline.- Gianni Pitella (Plenary session Week 05 2017 in Brussels). © European Union 2017 – Source : EP/Jan Van de Mel.
Related external links:
Executive Order Protecting The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States
Related Eastwind links:
EU Parliament condemns US travel bans (video)
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Trump withdraws USA from TPP and multilateral treaty negotiations
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