In an interview with the program “BBC Parliament’s The Record Europe”, Nick Griffin, the leader of the extremist right-wing British National Party, and a recently elected MEP from North-West England, said:
“If there’s measures to set up some kind of force or to help, say the Italians, set up a force which actually blocks the Mediterranean then we’d support that. But the only measure, sooner or later, which is going to stop immigration and stop large numbers of sub-Saharan Africans dying on the way to get over here is to get very tough with those coming over. Frankly, they need to sink several of those boats.”
In a subsequent interview with “BNP News” after the BBC interview, Griffin said sinking migrant boats would save lives:
“Thousands of Africans drown every year in their attempts to cross the Mediterranean in their rickety unseaworthy boats. They undertake this hazardous journey because they are convinced that if they get to Europe, they will be allowed in. If they get the message very clearly that they will under no circumstances be allowed in, they will stop coming. Ultimately, it is the only solution to this ongoing problem.”
Click here for the BBC article and link to the BBC interview.
Click here for a link to the BNP website and the “BNP News” interview.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières has issused a short report on its activities in Italy, Greece, Malta, and Morocco: “Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Vulnerable People at Europe’s Doorstep”.
Four new patrol boats for the Armed Forces of Malta are scheduled to be delivered in six months. The boats cost €9.6 million. 75% of the cost is coming from the EU External Borders Fund.
Swedish Migration Minister Tobias Billström completed a two day visit to Malta ahead of Sweden’s 1st July assumption of the EU Presidency. The recently approved EU pilot project where refugees are to be transferred from Malta to other EU member states on a voluntary basis was reviewed.
MIGRANTS AT SEA 