Challenging times lie ahead for the European Union. Its approach to asylum-seekers surely needs a rethink. Wave after wave of migrants are fleeing war-stricken countries where poverty and turmoil in Africa and the Middle East reign supreme. Unfortunately, these poor souls, without their slightest knowledge, are stirring up populist politics in Europe and firing up the far-right parties, as has been already demonstrated in various countries.

It would be foolish for the EU to ignore this issue. The government in Italy, for example, is giving it a most hysterical interpretation, followed by Hungary and Poland, instead of placing the migration drama on their agenda and addressing it in a level-headed way.

To find refuge in a safer country, these migrants risk their lives by travelling on small boats - and European bosses know it, but they just talk, talk and talk and let us believe that we have a crisis. What crisis? Is this what we call a crisis? I would certainly say 'NO'. This is not a crisis some politicians would have us believe. It is simply the continuation, albeit at a faster pace, of a phenomenon that has been going on for ages. The numbers are still comparatively small and could be addressed more rationally by the EU if all member states agree to share the burden.

 

Jos Edmond Zarb

Birkirkara