International

President of the European Commission Jose Barroso today gave his ‘State of the Union’ address at the European Parliament. SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong had low expectations of Barroso’s speech and these were fully met. ‘Barroso talks a lot but says little, he uses long words and expresses big ideas, but comes out with no new, concrete plans,’ says De Jong.

At the opening of the exhibition 'On the line - Cases of Global Migration' by journalist-photographer Piet den Blanken, SP-Euro-MP Dennis de Jong launched a stinging attack on the EU's one-sided approach to the problem of migration. At the exhibition refugees, legal and illegal workers from throughout Europe and beyond are portrayed at the EU's borders. In his address opening the event, De Jong said “ever since the mid-1990s the European Commission has recognised that there is a need for a comprehensive solution to the migration problematic. In practice, however, all efforts have been directed at the strengthening of border controls. That's short-sighted and leads to degrading situations.”