Roberta METSOLA, EP President, opens the plenary session on the 3 October in Strasbourg. Statement on Nicaragua’s decision to expel the Dutch ambassador and on the anniversary of the 9th anniversary of migrant shipwreck at Lampedusa (October 2013).

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

BARTOLO, Pietro (S&D, IT)

Opening statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President on Nicaragua’s decision to expel the Dutch ambassador and on the 9th anniversary of migrant shipwreck at Lampedusa (October 2013)

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SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Last Saturday, the EU ambassador to Nicaragua was forced to leave the country and diplomatic relations with the Netherlands were halted. I condemn the latest unilateral measures by the Nicaraguan regime only two weeks after this House called for an inclusive national dialogue to ensure a peaceful and democratic solution to the political, social and human rights crises.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The Ortega Murillo regime cannot continue to isolate the country from the international community. The European Parliament will always take a firm stand against the chipping away of democratic structures and together with like minded partners, we remain committed towards restoring a rules based order in the interest of the Nicaraguan people.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Final announcement, a third, but not least important. Dear colleagues, today marks nine years since the shipwreck of Lampedusa, which resulted, as you will recall, in the tragic loss of more than 360 lives, 360 dreams shattered, 360 families forever broken, many of whom were never able to be identified.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We cannot become desensitised to the tragedy. The cruel truth is that the cemetery of the Mediterranean has claimed the lives of thousands more women, children and men since then. We need to find a way forward on migration that looks at the issue in a holistic, humane, European way.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We promised change. This House promised change nine years ago when 360 people drowned. We reiterated that promise. When young Aylan Kurdi washed up on our sandy beaches. And yet, only a few days ago, we saw young girls die of dehydration off our coasts. When young girls are dying of thirst in our seas, then it is our failure and a failure of our shared humanity. And on this we can and we must do better.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We must find a way forward for all those who lost their lives. For all the victims of traffickers. For all those mothers waiting for news that will never come. We remember them. I give the floor specifically on this point to colleague Bartolo.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pietro BARTOLO (S&D, IT), LIBE committee vice-chair, Nine years have expired. The silence of those have that survived persecute me because in Lampedusa people are counting the deaths. Not only the 362 people who lost their lives in front of my island, swallowed by the sea, and that desperate attempt to find a life in Europe, but also the 22,000 people that have had exactly the same outcome.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pietro BARTOLO (S&D, IT), LIBE committee vice-chair, This is something which is important to all of us, and we can only stop this massacre by having a radical change in the immigration policies. Let us do this together on behalf of human beings so that 3rd of October can become the European day of all the victims that have been lost at sea. Thank you.

Opening statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President on Nicaragua’s decision to expel the Dutch ambassador and on the 9th anniversary of migrant shipwreck at Lampedusa (October 2013)

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Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament