mr president after fifteen years this will be my last speech in the european parliament and i think there are few more important issues than the whole question of asylum and how european countries face this challenge
there is no easy response to this issue either
if there was some country would have found it by now
in reality i would suggest that the only way to reduce the number of desperate people who seek refuge or asylum in a country other than their own is to address the root causes that force them to leave their homes and countries of origin
that is why it is so important that we in the eu and in all developed democratic countries offer advice help and support including financial support to those countries that are affected by war internal violence lack of human rights or discrimination
equally we have to address the poverty around the world which contributes to migratory pressures
we should never condemn people who are forced to seek asylum or refugee status
instead we should offer sympathy and offer our support
that is our challenge today
