Recommended Reading

Regular visitors here will notice that The Brussels Journal features high up on our blogroll. Having long been the solitary voice of European conservatism, it has grown into a source of inspiration and information for all europeans.

One of the contributors to BJ is Fjordman. A revered blogger who maintains a personal low profile but is read by millions. Follow the link here to read his essay; “Why the European Union must go.”

Brussels Journal: Fjordman.

Cross-posted from SIAD:

When movements like anti-Islamism start to grow, the authorities start monitoring their activities to see if they will develop into actually doing something other than talk. When real action starts the authorities then seek to assert some kind of control over the movement. SIOE has known for some time that certain national intelligence agencies have infiltrated some anti-Islamism blogs and websites with a view to gaining control. Such agencies say they want to bring anti-Islamists groups together for a common purpose, but the real intention is to centralise control.

They make money available to anti-Islamist organisations for meetings and other activities.

It has been made known to us however, that some webmasters and bloggers have been advised not to contact SIOE by other, supposedly, anti-Islamist bloggers.

This is because certain agencies are afraid of the Brussels march being the undoubted success it will be.

If any webmaster, blogger or other anti-Islamist has been advised not to contact SIOE, (especially if you have already been in previous contact with SIOE) then please tell SIOE. We will keep your information strictly confidential.

Brussels 9/11 is certain to be a great success and details are being finalised.

Proper organisation has ensured that the Brussels authorities will help us have a peaceful anti-Islamism demo.

---

Read more at SIAD

---

Frontex – Just a Front.

Yesterday’s post on the tragedy about to hit Malta got our Sitemaster thinking. Just what is FRONTEX and what is it’s mandate? What does it do and how does it do it? Well, the answer is not much and not very well. That may not be FRONTEX’ fault though. Let us begin this sorry tale by seeing what the EU has to say regarding the impending invasion of Malta G.C. by thousands of African illegals:

29/03/2007

Summer is soon upon us. Unfortunately, in the Mediterranean, it is not only the season for sun, sand and sea but also for the resumption of human trafficking into Europe, with the tragic consequences such trading usually brings. Over the past years, the Mediteranean has been experiencing an increasing number of crossings from the northern shores of Africa with Malta being right on the route. Uncounted numbers die every year.

This year, with Frontex operational and properly funded, a lot is being expected. The Maltese Government has proposed a joint patrol with Greece patrolling the southern borders of Europe. Nautilus II as it is being referrred is a continuation of a successful patrolling exercise carried out last year. Frontex is currently evaluating this and if it happens, Malta willl be able to access EU funding for this operation. Commissioner Frattini has gone on record a number of times asking all Member States to help out. Everybody has to prepare now to mitigate as much as possible the effects of this sad story.

(Link.)

Notice please, the article above, directly from the pages of the EU website, states clearly that Frontex is operational and fully funded. Which means that it should have 21 airplanes, 27 helicopters and 116 boats and the crews and manning it needs to be thoroughly effective in turning back the flood of would-be illegal immigrants streaming relentlessly toward Europe. Hooray. We can all rest secure in the knowledge that the EU is protecting our borders.
So just what does this fully functional and well funded FRONTEX do? What is its purpose? This from their own website describes the mission and method:

European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders (FRONTEX)

The European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union was established by Council Regulation (EC) 2007/2004/ (26.10.2004, OJ L 349/25.11.2004).

FRONTEX coordinates operational cooperation between Member States in the field of management of external borders; assists Member States in the training of national border guards, including the establishment of common training standards; carries out risk analyses; follows up the development of research relevant for the control and surveillance of external borders; assists Member States in circumstances requiring increased technical and operational assistance at external borders; and provides Member States with the necessary support in organising joint return operations.
photo

FRONTEX liaises closely with other Community and EU partners responsible for the security of the external borders, such as EUROPOL, CEPOL, OLAF, the customs cooperation and the cooperation on phyto-sanitary and veterinary controls, in order to promote overall coherency.

FRONTEX strengthens border security by ensuring the coordination of Member States’ actions in the implementation of Community measures relating to the management of the external borders.

Last update: 01 June 2007

(Link.)

Which all sounds very good and proper and correct. But nowhere does the EU Council regulation state that FRONTEX can return illegals, or indeed stop them, or refuse them entry to European waters. Nor does it demand that they do so. So what´s the point? Indeed, many others are questioning the idea too. Not least of all, the member nations of the EU who are supposed to fund and supply FRONTEX.
The Executive Director of FRONTEX is Ilkka Laitinen, one-time colonel, presumably of the Finnish Army. He has this to say regarding the organisation he is commanding:

11-06-2007
Frontex – facts and myths
Ilkka Laitinen

Having realised there is some misunderstanding in the European press on the role of Frontex, I have decided to clarify its mission on the eve of the adoption of the Regulation on the creation Rapid Border Intervention Teams (Rabits).

Frontex is a young agency with untapped potential which needs proper resourcing. Rabits are a very good instrument for providing support for a limited period of time in exceptional and urgent situations, the Regulation says, I would also add unforeseeable. The Regulation also says Rapid Border Intervention Teams are not intended to provide long-term assistance. The Member States have created this solution and will adopt it in the coming days.

At the same time one can hear voices from Member States inviting Frontex to use Rabits immediately for stopping the flow of illegal migrants from Africa. These voices would also like Frontex to deploy as much equipment as possible to the region. Why? Because Frontex has 21 airplanes, 27 helicopters and 116 boats. That’s the fact I cannot deny, we have them… on paper.

The Centralised Record of Available Technical Equipment (CRATE) is only a record that will help us in better planning Frontex operations. CRATE is like an e-shop, you can watch it on your screen and decide what you need, then order it and pay for it. Frontex doesn’t have any vessels itself and cannot afford deployment of a big number of units to a chosen region. These assets belong to the Member States and they are subject to their will to deploy them. And as for the financial point of view, if we deployed the equipment from CRATE at once the budget of Frontex would evaporate in two weeks’ time.

In the Regulation that will be adopted tomorrow Member States repeat the sentence that was already present in the Frontex Regulation: “Responsibility for the control of the external borders lies with the Member States”. It seems that the will of Member States is crystal clear. In the Regulation establishing Frontex Member States stated that the need for creating an integrated management of operational cooperation at the external borders of the EU cannot be sufficiently satisfied by the Member States and can be better approached at Community level by Frontex.

Therefore, Frontex started the implementation of integrated border management fulfilling the duty given to it by the Member States. Last week I learned reading the press that Member States don’t want Frontex to fulfil its tasks; Member States want Frontex to become a search and rescue body. Legal advisors could have some problems in explaining why a Community agency should take action in an area that is out of the mandate not only of the agency but also the European Union.

The raison d’être of Frontex are not emergency operations but the consistent introduction of well planned regular patrols by Member States, in order to limit urgent missions and to integrate the management of borders in all its dimensions defined by the Member States. Doctors say that the best intensive care unit cannot replace prophylaxis; I would say that it applies also to borders.

Frontex is not and never will be a panacea to problems of illegal migration. The agency with personnel of 82 people and a budget of € 35m cannot take over the duty of hundreds of thousands of border guards in the European Union. Maybe our activities in the Mediterranean do not seem sufficient for some people but we have to act in accordance with the legal mandate we have, and in the fixed financial frames we have, not to mention the human resources and the willingness of the Member States to act together.

Summing up I would like to remind that Frontex activities are supplementary to those undertaken by the Member States. Frontex doesn’t have any monopole on border protection and is not omnipotent. It is a coordinator of the operational cooperation in which the Member States show their volition. If some of our critics think it is not enough they should fix their eyes on decision takers, as Frontex only executes its duties described in the Regulation 2007/2004.

(Link.)

“21 airplanes, 27 helicopters and 116 boats. That’s the fact I cannot deny, we have them… on paper.”

Which must be both embarassing and frustrating for Laitinen. Pitiful is a word that springs to mind. With this condemnation of the member states, and thereby the EU and all it’s commissions, Laitinen puts the whole thing into a perspective that we find, frankly, worrying. To learn that “Member States want Frontex to become a search and rescue body”, is absolutely unacceptable.

We need a border defense that ensures our sovereignty and defends us against illegal immigration and subversive invasion. Frontex should be set up as a deterrent, not a search and rescue mission. It should have one task and one alone. To repel the illegal immigrants to the point of escorting them back to where they came from at gunpoint. Not escorting them to the European shores of Malta or Lampedusa. Laitinen gives us a picture, not of a fully operational border defense, but an underfunded, underequipped and undermanned lifeboat service. This is not a deterrent at all. It is a welcoming gesture of safe passage to the EU. How is that “securing our borders”?

And don’t forget, this is all paid for with your tax money.

(Should one feel obliged in any way to contact FRONTEX, here are all the contact details we could find. One could, perhaps, express a little sympathy for Mr. Laitinen.)

Executive Director:
Ilkka Laitinen

Address:
Rondo ONZ 1
00 124 Warsaw
Poland

Tel. +48 22 544 95 00
Fax +48 22 544 95 01

Email:
frontex@frontex.europa.eu

Internet:
http://www.frontex.europa.eu/

Malta (G.C.) Under Pressure.

The island of Malta was awarded the George Cross for its outstanding efforts during WWII. The most famous defense of the island was carried out by three biplanes named “Faith”, “Hope” and “Charity”.

Malta is once again under the threat of invasion. Here is the leader from a press release issued by Alleanza Nazzjonali Repubblikana:

PRESS RELEASE

ANR condemns EU for abandoning Malta to its destiny and urges Government to take unilateral action

Alleanza Nazzjonali Repubblikana condemns the EU for de-facto totally abandoning Malta to a disastrous destiny of isolation whereby the Union ’s smallest member has been left alone to face a new, unprecedented wave of illegal immigrants coming over from Africa .

Speaking at the EU Parliament Civil Liberties Committee on the 3^rd July, UNHCR official Paolo Artini compared a drop of 30% in arrivals of African illegal immigrants in Italy with a rise of 400% of arrivals in Malta in the first six months of this year. The number of illegal immigrants so far reaching Malta from January is already 700 and if the same percentage of increase persists it will mean that by the end of 2007 arrivals will shoot up to over 7000 if nothing is done to stop the flow.

Unfortunately ANR has so far been proved right by manifesting its skepticism of the long-awaited FRONTEX patrols. As confirmed during the EPP-ED meeting held in Malta , most EU member states have failed to provide even a fraction of the material assistance promised for patrolling EU’s southern borders and the nations that have so far sent token help in the form of a single patrol boat or a helicopter are making no secret of their half-hearted participation. According to EU commissioner Franco Frattini’s own words this is a very far cry from the 115 boats, 25 helicopters, and 25 aircraft promised for patrol missions by 19 EU member states.

If FRONTEX had just a quarter of the spirit of the men who flew those biplanes all those years ago, then Malta (G.C.) could feel safe once again. But, alas, this is not the case. Frontex has become no more than an escort for the many boatloads of illegal immigrants coming to Europe.

Read the whole press release at http://www.anrmalta.info/

Not Just Another Movie!

We were linked by http://www.supercars.com/wake-up-europe. To find out who is linking us and why, we often check the incoming links and follow them backwards. And this little gem popped up on the webside.

 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-366768325153454048

Whoever “Babalootz” is, we thank you.

The film makers out there are doing their part to support us. All efforts are greatly appreciated.

See if you can recognise all the flags and people represented in this video.  And don’t be afraid to spread it round the net!

Wake Up Call?

We received an e-mail through the “contact” form on this site which, though not saying much, pointed us at this Youtube film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2Fs_DB3YMs

It may not be there for long, so see it while you can! We are willing to bet it gets pulled from Youtube within a very short time.

Note: Some pretty grim content at the start of this film. Not for the faint hearted.

Cross-posting from SIAD.

Subscribe Brusselsdemo-newsletter

Posted by siad on July 14th, 2007

There have been a couple of hours where the e-mail brusselsdemo-news@siad.dk has been down. It is up and running again.

If the mail should fail again, you are welcome to use: sioe@siad.dk or post@siad.dk

There has been a little bit of a confusion about the meetingpoint at the demonstration. The meetingpoint is still in Brussels infront of the EU-parliament at 1300 hours on sep. the 11th.

There is a delegation from Switzerland that starts the march in Switzerland and walks along the Jacobs Way to Brussels. We will inform more about the march from Switzerland when we get the details.

The Swiss Join the Fray!

Swiss demonstrators will also be joining the many of us going to Brussels. They will be marching from Switzerland to Brussels under their own banner which they will deliver to organisers and take an SIOE banner on to the demo. The placard above is being used to recruit participants.

SIOE Newsletter #1.

For those that have not yet subscribed to the SIOE newsletter, we are publishing it here. Newsletters will continue to be sent out regularly as things progress. Subscription is possible by e-mail to brusselsdemo-news@siad.dk

 

 

 

BRUSSELSDEMO-NEWS

AIMS OF THE MARCH 9/11

The understandable enthusiasm for the SIOE Demo has encouraged people to make many suggestions.

The Demo has these main aims:

1. To show the world that Europeans and others have had enough of Sharia by stealth and creeping Islamism.

2. To be the first in a long line of similar events. We are in this for the long haul and continual opposition to Sharia and Islamism will bring us success.

3. To build up a network of millions of people, both as individuals and as members of likeminded organisations, determined to reverse Islamism and restore freedom.

This network will then provide the necessary mutual support for further events.

Therefore, the SIOE Brussels 9/11 Demo requires:

RULES FOR THE DEMO TO ENSURE ITS SUCCESS

1. Only national flags and SIOE banners are allowed

Reasons

a) There will be many organisations and people who may differ on certain other matters, but are united in anti-Islamism.

We want everybody to feel comfortable marching together so displaying distinctive banners might provoke unnecessary ill feeling between marchers.

b) We must project a unified front to the world, in other words, impenetrable armour. Different banners etc. will present a mixed and confusing message and enable the media to stick knives in the gaps of our armour, to discredit our achievements.

c) Showing banners of organisations that, for example, support oppressed people in Islamic states, will endanger those same people. Banners supporting oppressed people will similarly endanger those oppressed people and will therefore, be counterproductive.

NATIONAL FLAGS

National flags are desired to present an international unity of purpose.

SIOE understands that grievances exist between different nationalities, particularly with recent realignments of international borders.

However, the greatest threat to world peace is Islamism.

We therefore wish people to shake hands (either in reality or metaphorically) for this one day and unite in challenging our common ideological opponent.

Flags will help people to order themselves in the demo where they feel most comfortable.

POLICING AND SAFETY

These rules have been agreed with the Brussels police.

Safety of protestors is our paramount concern. Safety of people across the world is just as important.

---

Traduction en français disponible, cliquez sur le lien.
Français
With many thanks to “Cochon Hallal”..!

The EU Constitution. EP Gives the Go Ahead

The march toward the new European constitution under the title “Reform Treaty”, continues unabated. The European parliament has approved the Intergovernmental Conference and the mandate it is to be equipped with. This from the EU website:

Parliament favours giving a green light to an intergovernmental conference (IGC) on EU treaty reform. Its report, adopted with 526 votes in favour, 128 against with 26 abstentions, says that although the proposed new EU treaty would incorporate the bulk the draft constitution, EU cohesion could nonetheless be weakened by the exemptions granted to Member States. Parliament’s opinion is required for the IGC to begin.

However there are dissenters and a few of the more wary have voiced their dissatisfaction with, or fears for, the coming process. While the European Council and European Commission gave a full vote of support and agreement, some of the party speakers expressed their views in other directions. Here are some of the comments:

Francis WURTZ (GUE/NGL, FR) asked “how do we understand the democracy at the heart of this process?” We have had, he said, “totally illegible negotiations” along with a “real fear of there possibly being a referendum.” There is a real lack of awareness surrounding the reformed treaty, Mr Wurtz added, and it is vital to “get people talking about the substance of the future treaty” in order to ensure that “we have full democracy, full consultation of our European citizens.”

Bernard WOJCIECHOWSKI (PL) for the Independence and Democracy group said that the constitution is “little more than a sloppy attempt at federalising the Union at any price” and that “this parliament has become so arrogant that if it were not so pathetic it would be funny.” He stated that “to say that we maintain an open dialogue with anyone is a mere joke” and that “scholars and politicians declare [the new treaty] a complete failure.”

Philip CLAEYS (ITS, BE) said that we have effectively “admitted that the European constitution…is not actually going to ever enter into force” and that “we’re now going to have a new effort to bring the constitution in through the back door.” The debate on the treaty has led to a situation in which we “have to draw a distinction between the so-called ‘good’ Member States and the so-called ‘bad’ Member States” and that we have reached a point where “we are not actually able to represent the interests of our citizens and we have to think about what we really mean by democracy.”

“This is a report which conspicuously avoids support for popular ratification of the recast constitution”, said Jim ALLISTER (UK) on behalf of the non-attached Members. He added that “such is the determination to rush this report through that we have abandoned due process in this house to a degree that would make a despot blush.” The constitution, Mr Allister continued, “permits self-amendment which for most will mean never again having to consult the people about whose constitutional status we would make changes.”

Francis Wurtz highlighted the worries in the EU paliament that any referendum would bring the treaty down. This is not going to be allowed by the EU under any circumstances. Which is why ratification by member states is the preferred method of getting this piece of legislation through.
Philip Claeys hit the nail squarely on the head when he said this was “a new effort to bring the constitution in through the back door, [....] we are not actually able to represent the interests of our citizens and we have to think about what we really mean by democracy.” Brave words. And backed up by Jim Allister with his comment; “….which for most will mean never again having to consult the people about whose constitutional status we would make changes.”
Think about that for a moment.

This is a reflection on what has been stated on this website repeatedly. We are not being represented nor are we to be consulted. We are to be governed. Citizens or not.

Unfortunately there are too few men of the calibre of Mssrs. Claeys and Allister in the EU parliament to make a difference. The process will go on and the Social Democratic EU will have its constitution.

The back door is open and there is no doorman.

Link: EU Parliament News. (English version)