Refugees must be better informed on legal ways to enter EU, says Buttiglione

During his hearing in the Parliament, Commissioner
designate for freedom, security and justice Rocco
Buttiglione has suggested that EU representatives be
sent out to the reception centres in North Africa to advise
asylum-seekers on their rights and to weed out fake
applicants.

During his hearing on 5 October, MEPs
challenged Rocco Buttiglione’s support for
setting up migrant gateways in north Africa. To him,
reception centres for asylum-seekers and economic
immigrants outside the EU are the only way to stop the
humanitarian crisis currently taking place in the
Mediterannean. He said these camps aim to make people
aware of the opportunities to immigrate legally to the
EU.  « I did not propose concentration camps. I
proposed centres for humanitarian relief (…) we should
allow people to come legally on planes and not on rubbish
boats, » he said.

The Italian university professor highlighted that
since the terrorist attacks in New York and Madrid
« society demands more security ». « We are at war with
terrorism, » he said. He pledged to fight terrorism and
boost security without undermining privacy rights. In
spite of his links with the right-wing American
Enterprise Institute, Buttiglione sought to distance
himself from the Bush administrations policies. « We are
not twins, » he said, adding that the EU could not support
policies such as the detention of suspects at Guantanamo
Bay.

Buttiglione, a
practising catholic, was forced by some
MEPs into a heated debate on homosexuality.
Rocco Buttiglione said it was important to make
a « distinction between morality and law. I may think of
homosexuality as a sin but it has no effect unless I say
it is a crime ». Asked to define marriage, the Italian
conservative said the institution was set up « for women
to have children while having the protection of a man ».
He noted that « this is the view in of 22 of the 25 member
states », whereas Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain now
allow same-sex marriages. Buttiglione said the definition
of marriage should remain a national competence but added
that « women are not given adequate support to build
families and that « there are too few children born in
Europe ».

After the hearing, the Socialist
group issued a statement saying that
Buttiglione had left too many serious doubts, although
they refrained from saying whether they would seek a
change in his portfolio within the Commission. But right
wing MEP Ewa Klamt defended the Italian arguing that,
European home affairs, asylum and immigration policy will
be in good hands with Rocco Buttiglione in the
future. »