Better late than never

Jan 21, 2010

Dear TBT,

Dr. Sabine Stadler’s barely concealed contempt aimed at Baltic Nations’ failure to show a bit more interest in the recent gathering of 150 ‘experts’ in Malmo to discuss subjects which we have a right to feel have already been discussed a hundred times, was notable for it’s mendacity in failing to inform the reader of a few basic facts. Such as: why the meeting was held in Sweden; the kind of immigrants involved; why only now a problem which has grown to immense proportions is being addressed. Well, the meeting was instigated not by any EU immigration crisis but by the critical situation within Sweden itself, caused by an uncontrolled and continued influx over many years of immigrants, ‘asylum seekers’ and anybody else who fancied free accommodation and a generous salary without having to do anything to earn it, a state of affairs the economy can no longer afford.

Ninety-five percent of these immigrants are of the Muslim faith and no doubt many are normal, decent people trying to lead a trouble-free life. But over the years a huge chasm has developed in Swede/ Immigrant relations resulting in no-go areas where even the police won’t venture, such as the ghettos of Malmo, about which at least one senior policeman has stated “we’ve lost control of our city.”

Dr. Stadler’s list of objectives, as discussed at the meeting, look very noble on paper and I’m sure efforts have been made previously by the Swedes to implement policy on language, job creation, etc. But for some years now the Muslim community has shown little interest in the subject of integration with their host country and the rift grows ever wider. The same can be said of France and especially Holland.   

So much for multi-culturalism. Both the political leadership and mass media are in denial and will not even discuss the problems meaningfully, and until they admit to the crisis it is hard to see how progress can be made. Hopefully, this first step by Brussels will help to give the subject a higher profile. But until people such as Dr. Stadler tell it like it really is by pointing her finger at Stockholm, and not the Baltic countries, then even the Swedes themselves won’t realize the enormity of the problem until it is too late - and judging by the numbers of people leaving Malmo for other areas, or indeed other countries, it seems for them at least, it is already too late.

Should Turkey gain admittance to the EU like it hopes to, then the good doctor’s home country of Austria might well brace itself for a similar onslaught. Hopefully, the 150 ‘experts’ will have produced an EU white paper by then, otherwise I foresee another crisis meeting - this time in Vienna, and I doubt if the Baltic countries will attend that one either. Their time will come soon enough.

Harry Gaffney
Riga

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