Statewatch press release, 8 August 2003
ITALIAN PRESIDENCY PROPOSES THAT OFFICERS IN PLAINCLOTHES DRIVE UNMARKED POLICE CARS ACROSS THE EU TO DEPORT MIGRANTS
ITALIAN PRESIDENCY PROPOSES THAT OFFICERS IN PLAINCLOTHES DRIVE UNMARKED POLICE CARS ACROSS THE EU TO DEPORT MIGRANTS
- "any possible legitimate "measure" [may be used] to prevent or terminate acts of resistance"
- does the EU care more about cattle than people?
The Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (the 15 EU governments) has put forward a proposal to: "terminate the illegal residence of third country nationals" by deporting them overland across the EU until: "the third country national has been finally removed from the territory of the Member States". It proposes that unmarked police cars or vans driven by officers in plainclothes who can resort to "legitimate" force be used.
Tony Bunyan, Statewatch editor, comments:
"As we going to see people shackled to their seats on public trains and coaches or perhaps trains with "cattle trucks" chugging east, reminiscent of another time? How safe are migrants being transported in unmarked police cars or vans driven by plainclothes police officers going to be if they resist at any point? Will we ever know what happened to them if they do not arrive at their destination?
This proposal is indicative of a wider question, it is said that the EU tracks the whereabouts of every cow that leaves the Community to counter fraud but it has no idea where those expelled end up, whether they are alive or dead , free or imprisoned, fed or starving. Under this proposal responsibility ends when "the third country national has been finally removed from the territory of the Member States".
Does the EU care more about cattle than people?"
The full report with documentation is on:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2003/aug/01cattle.htm 
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