Sir, – Edward Horgan, in his letter of July 25th, speaks many truths about the problems for refugees and economic migrants. However, there is one truth which he fails to mention: Europe does not have the capacity to take unlimited numbers of migrants.
Operating an open-door policy encourages migrants to make these dangerous journeys which end the lives of many and finish for others in slavery, prostitution and heartbreak.
The real solution to these migrant’s problems is to overthrow the corrupt regimes they are fleeing from and build democracies which provide the same sorts of human rights and laws we enjoy in Europe.
The best Europe can do is encourage democracy in countries around the world which are on a path towards it, and stop doing business with autocratic and authoritarian regimes which do not respect human rights.
But for that to happen it also means changing the way we do business and that is no easy task.
See how difficult it is for Europe to wean itself off Russian energy, despite it being the right thing to do.
Rotten and corrupt regimes are the cause of migrant deaths and enslavement, not European policies which recognise that unlimited immigration will destroy the fragile democracy we enjoy in Europe. – Yours, etc,
DAVID DORAN,
Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.