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13 June, 2002In his new opinion column, the general secretary of the International Metalworkers' Federation discusses the anti-migrant sentiments to be seen in Europe.
GENEVA: Referring to Italy and Spain, the IMF general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, writes: "It is a bad sign for a democratic and free Europe that two countries which used to export a great number of workers are now the driving forces behind the hard line being adopted in Europe to kick out workers and families who are looking for a better life."
It is an illusion, argues Malentacchi, that one can stop desperate and hungry people from landing in Europe by using military force, or that introducing humiliating methods such as fingerprinting will counteract the predicament which motivates people to leave their country in the first place.
"A productive investment in the countries where migration originates from is a far better way to solve the problem," he concludes.
Malentacchi's opinion column is available at www.imfmetal.org.