Government position on immigration endangering advantages of a Free Europe

11.07.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 19th Sep 2006

Young Alliance Chair, Ian James Parsley

The Alliance Party's youth wing, which represents European Liberal Youth in Northern Ireland, has slammed comments by the UK Home Secretary John Reid appearing to place restrictions on the free movement of EU nationals after the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the EU next year.

Chairman Ian James Parsley, a North Down Councillor, stated: "Restrictions on free movement of EU nationals within the EU, including for work, run totally contrary to the idea of a free Europe. You cannot have genuinely free trade without free movement.

"The UK and Irish Governments both made the right decision with regard to nationals of the new member states in 2004, but the UK is now reacting to a negative, alarmist agenda on immigration. Nobody disputes that significant immigration has created many challenges for us in Northern Ireland, but it has also brought with it many positives.

Senior politicians should demonstrate leadership on such issues, not just react to extremism and alarmism.

"If we feel we cannot allow nationals of any country to move freely within the EU, then the question must be whether that country's entry is a wise move so soon. The question is not just whether Romania and Bulgaria are ready for the EU, but is the EU ready for Romania and Bulgaria?

"The principle of free movement of goods must be accompanied by the free movement of people. I look forward to further expansion of the EU - but such expansion cannot come at the expense of the basic value of freedom. For if we do not have that, we must bring into question the whole idea of the European Union."

ENDS