Posted on 07/15/2009 1:07:35 PM PDT by WesternCulture
Speaking for the European Union presidency, Swedish migration minister Tobias Billström said on Wednesday that the EU supported requiring visas for Canadians travelling to the EU in response to Canada’s decision to impose visa restrictions on Czech nationals.
"As the presidency of the EU, we are in favour of this reciprocity," Swedish Migration and Asylum Policy Minister Tobias Billström told AFP.
"But it's up to the Commission to handle the proposal, because the Commission is responsible for the reciprocity mechanism," he added.
Canada imposed visas on Czechs to stave off what it said was a steady influx of Roma asylum applicants from the former communist country.
The Czech government reacted to Canada's decision on Tuesday by introducing visas for Canadian diplomats and recalling its ambassador in Canada for consultations, but it cannot impose visas on all Canadians under EU laws.
Czech authorities were also annoyed that the European Commission did not appear to be in any rush to impose visa requirements on Canadian nationals during the summer holidays.
Eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus on Wednesday chided the EU over reducing the options of retaliating against Canada for imposing visas on Czechs.
"As you well know, Canada can decide and the Czech Republic cannot. It's Brussels that has to decide for us," he added.
At the European parliament in Strasbourg, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso expressed regret about Canada's decision to re-introduce visas for Czech nationals.
The Canadian move, which also affected Mexico, is a bid to crack down on an explosion in the number of fraudulent refugee claims.
"We'll do all necessary efforts to restore the visa free travel," he told lawmakers.
"The Commission will examine the situation carefully and report on this" in a visa reciprocity report due out in September this year, he said.
He said Czech, Canadian and Commission officials had met already Tuesday in Brussels to discuss the matter.
Billström and Swedish Justice Minister Beatrice Ask will on Thursday and Friday host an informal meeting of EU justice and home affairs ministers in Stockholm.
A solidarity clause within the EU allows all member states to impose visas on Canadian citizens who want to travel to Europe. But the procedure is lengthy, not automatic.
“Canada imposed visas on Czechs to stave off what it said was a steady influx of Roma asylum applicants from the former communist country”
- “Czechs, Commies, Canadians”, whatever.
I got taught at school there are no major differences.
Anyhow, being Swedish, I’m presently feeling immensely proud of our gifted politicians who are working so hard to make the world come together as one.
The former commie nations (including Canada) must become more like Sweden, or we’ll shut down meatball deliveries to East European IKEA stores.
OK, so we Swedes pay high taxes, but just look at the politicians they are buying us!
It would do the US a world of good to introduce visas and background checks for all foreign nationals entering the country, especially those coming in from Europe.
Many of the hard-core terrorists and their sympathizers have European / UK passports, and plenty of them are Caucasian, by race. At this moment, huge numbers of them can enter into the country with barely any prior notice.
A cursory glance at the Islamist videos on YouTube will reveal this to you.
You don’t know what your talking about. Canada is anything but Commie. Why don’t we have the right to require proper documentation to this flood of Eastern Europeans that think that Canada is a pushover and they can just enter at will. Fraudulent applications is right and flood of them too.
No thanks. We now have a good Conservative government and thanks, but we would like to keep it that way. Sweden can do what it wants. CO
What happened to the World of lurve that Bush destroyed and 0Buma restored...RACISM!
I think my compatriot forgot the “sarcasm” sign after his post (or he didn’t think it was necessary).
“A Swede calling Canadians commies?????
Now THAT’s funny...”
- How could anyone take that comment of mine seriously?
I sure didn't mean to insult Canada.
I'd call sitting over here in Northern Europe, drinking a glass of wine and posting nonsense on the Internet at this hour pretty tolerable.
Canadian clocks, however, are about 5 pm or even less at the moment. Your minds should be sharp and focused on work, studies, letters-to-the-editor-columns and similar serious stuff like that:)
Greetings from Gothenburg, Volvo Land!
“I think my compatriot forgot the “sarcasm” sign after his post (or he didn’t think it was necessary).”
- Always there for me.
Sorry fellow countryman, I forgot the :)
Canada’s stance appears to be that white immigration is undesirable, even though they will take any number of yellow, brown or black immigrants.
“Canada’s stance appears to be that white immigration is undesirable, even though they will take any number of yellow, brown or black immigrants”.
- Some thoughts regarding racial issues:
1. Believe it or not, there are, actually, things like races.
2. There are also things like racial differences. Blacks of Tanzania cope with UV rays far better than the average pasty British pub frequenter.
3. We are all equal in the eyes of our creator. So says the Bible. In plain English this means steamy interracial sex actually is approved by the highest of all authorities.
4. Racism is wrong. Every child in Western Civilization has been taught this. In fact, Western Civilization is, without a doubt, the LEAST Racist part of humanity by today.
5. Whenever moron, Socialist, PC, “Westerners” wish to instruct others of our “origin” to feel ashamed of belonging to Western ethnicity because of Colonialism, Hitler, what happened to Aboriginal landowners etc, please tell them in a calm voice to ** *** **** **********!!
No skin off my butt either way, it was just funny hearing a Swede call anyone a commie..
- ???
I've always been under the impression that my Sweden ought to be viewed not as a Communist but as a Nazi country, as we traded with Hitler 70 years ago (just like the US did):)
Seriously speaking, Sweden is a nation founded on Lutheran work ethics, entrepreneurship and Capitalism. Yes, we have a rather big government, but that doesn't mean Swedes have much in common with Obama voters.
We believe in well-run, Capitalist businesses.
Sweden is a very centralized, heterogeneous nation, just like it was during the days of Gustavus Adolphus the Great. In other words; long before “Das Kapital” was written.
The success of our multinationals has little to do with the fact that plenty of our schools, hospitals and kindergartens are government run.
Sweden is among the most successful Capitalist economies on Earth, if not THE most successful one.
9 out of the 6,800 million people on this globe are Swedish citizens. 22 out of the companies included on the Forbes Global 2000 list are from my country.
What does that tell you about free enterprise in Sweden?
Undeniably, we boast an overabundance of useless government employed bureaucrats, but at least we have fewer lawyers per capita than the US and less of strike organizers in relation to our population than the French and Italians could pride themselves of.
Life here aint so bad.
Have a 3D look for yourself if you wish:
Everyone in Sweden isn't well off, but what other part of the world could compete regarding quality of life? Some parts of Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, USA etc perhaps. But that's actually about it.
Volvo 4 life, like the slogan goes:)
I believe the word "Roma" is another name for the gypsies. They are spread all around. I wonder what's different about the ones from the Czech Republic that would make them a special problem for Canada.
Mexico has recently become another major source of false refugee claimants.
Any nation has the right to defend its borders.
The gates are mine to open,
As the gates are mine to close,
And I set my house in order,'
Said our Lady of the Snows.From Our Lady of the Snows
by Rudyard Kipling
“The Czech Republic is the source of an influx of Romani fraudulent refugee claimants, instigated by newspaper ads in the Czech Republic explicitly addressed to this ethnic group, by immigration consultants who specialize in exploiting Canada’s easy to exploit refugee policies.”
- It’s a good thing you brought this topic up.
A human being is a human being. I guess we agree.
We Christians pay tribute to the idea that each and every child is born “Imagio Dei” (- in the image of God).
BUT, there ought to be more of respect, especially self-respect, regarding Christian values than there is today.
We Christians have a reputation of being forgiving towards
evil-doers who attack weaker members of our communion, like our women.
This can never be accepted. We can not accept such attacks.
Why should we surrender?
Mecca must burn!
That’s a relief that I misconstrued your post LOL. Enjoy your wine and yes I am at work!! So far my mind is focused. Wine comes later. CO
“That’s a relief that I misconstrued your post LOL. Enjoy your wine and yes I am at work!! So far my mind is focused. Wine comes later. CO”
- Good to hear, fellow freeper!
Still, I can’t blame you for reacting to the “tone” towards Canada in that post of mine above.
We’ll settle this in an ice hockey rink sometime soon:)
Cheers to a great nation that knows much of fighting spirit!
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