The history page explains how the EU progressed to a full‑blown supranational state entity in just 40 years. It is particularly relevant to the current dreadful refugee crisis that the growth of th EU has been deeply influenced by the Freemasonry movement who termed it "a Masonic work of the highest order".
The Freemason movement's official position is that it is 'one of the world's oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations'. Rarely do they issue press releases. However a press release from 28 Masonic Lodges across Europe was issued on 7th September 2015 showing that they were concerned that an influx of migrants would rise up a new exacerbation of nationalism in a continent which depended on solidarity and threatened the 'European dream' and they were waiting to hear of the creation of innovative policies to be announced to deal with this. The full transcript can be read at the bottom of this page.
Soon after this press release, on 23 September 2015, the EU called an informal meeting of the heads of state of government to discuss migration. They released the following statement after the meeting:
“We urge institutions, agencies and Member States to accelerate their work on all aspects of the migration crisis. The Commission will present proposals on the mobilisation of the EU budget to support these orientations. Member States will match them with their contributions. We will revert to the challenge of migration at the October European Council.”
Subsequently, during the October 2015 European Council meeting, President Donald Tusk stated:
“Our aim is to give Frontex [the EU bordercontrol agency] the right to return irregular migrants on its own initiative, and to make it more proactive in protecting the external borders. In the meantime, Member States will be ready to send hundreds more border guards to Frontex and EASO (European Asylum Support Office) to secure the hotspot areas in Greece and Italy.”
"Progress on genuine border security is in my opinion, a very important achievement of tonight. Not because I have advocated the need to protect the EU's borders, but because it is our first obligation to protect the European community, and to guarantee public order. We have made a step in this direction."
On 17th June 2016, the medical aid charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) issued the following statement:
“MSF announces today that we will no longer take funds from the EU and its Member States in protest at their shameful deterrence policies and their intensification of efforts to push people back from European shores.”
"Deterrence policies sold to the public as humanitarian solutions have only exacerbated the suffering of people in need. Since the beginning of this crisis, Europe’s main focus is not on how well people will be protected, but on how efficiently they are kept away. MSF has treated around 200,000 people in 18 months, responding to a crisis that was produced by restrictive European policies. Europe needs a dramatic shift from pushing people back to policies that protect and assist as many people as possible.
The enforcement of migration cooperation deals between the EU and its member states with third countries is resulting in unacceptable humanitarian consequences and jeopardizing the right to seek asylum. The EU/Turkey deal is the latest in a long line of anti-humanitarian policies that European governments are debating with the single goal denying people the right to claim asylum. This deal has already dramatic humanitarian consequences in Greece and sets a dangerous precedent for countries hosting refugees, sending a message that caring for people forced from their homes is optional and that they can buy their way out of asylum. The EU’s restrictive approach has already been cited by Kenya as justification for closing the world's largest refugee camp in Dadaab. This deal also does nothing to encourage countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey - who are hosting millions of Syrian refugees - to keep their borders open."
Here is the link to MSF should you be interested in donating to them given their loss of EU funding or reading more on the solutions they are suggesting. This is conjecture of course but I strongly believe that Jo Cox MP knew nothing about the EU treatment of the refugees. The MSF article was released on 17 June 2016, the day after she tragically died. I do not believe that she would have wanted to keep supporting EU had she known the truth about their treatment of refugees. She was kind, compassionate and deeply caring.
It is wrong that the people of Europe should have free movement of travel which is in part at the huge cost of desperate people seeing refuge from the outside. We can all see how the refugees at Calais have been suffering and if we choose to do so we can visit, help, lobby and try and effect a change. We are so far removed from the EU borders it is difficult for us to see the problem and truly know the suffering of the refugees there.
I believe in the principle that each nation should have the right to their own border and with that right comes a responsibility to care for the desperate people who arrive at those borders.
“We urge institutions, agencies and Member States to accelerate their work on all aspects of the migration crisis. The Commission will present proposals on the mobilisation of the EU budget to support these orientations. Member States will match them with their contributions. We will revert to the challenge of migration at the October European Council.”
Subsequently, during the October 2015 European Council meeting, President Donald Tusk stated:
“Our aim is to give Frontex [the EU bordercontrol agency] the right to return irregular migrants on its own initiative, and to make it more proactive in protecting the external borders. In the meantime, Member States will be ready to send hundreds more border guards to Frontex and EASO (European Asylum Support Office) to secure the hotspot areas in Greece and Italy.”
"Progress on genuine border security is in my opinion, a very important achievement of tonight. Not because I have advocated the need to protect the EU's borders, but because it is our first obligation to protect the European community, and to guarantee public order. We have made a step in this direction."
On 17th June 2016, the medical aid charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) issued the following statement:
“MSF announces today that we will no longer take funds from the EU and its Member States in protest at their shameful deterrence policies and their intensification of efforts to push people back from European shores.”
"Deterrence policies sold to the public as humanitarian solutions have only exacerbated the suffering of people in need. Since the beginning of this crisis, Europe’s main focus is not on how well people will be protected, but on how efficiently they are kept away. MSF has treated around 200,000 people in 18 months, responding to a crisis that was produced by restrictive European policies. Europe needs a dramatic shift from pushing people back to policies that protect and assist as many people as possible.
The enforcement of migration cooperation deals between the EU and its member states with third countries is resulting in unacceptable humanitarian consequences and jeopardizing the right to seek asylum. The EU/Turkey deal is the latest in a long line of anti-humanitarian policies that European governments are debating with the single goal denying people the right to claim asylum. This deal has already dramatic humanitarian consequences in Greece and sets a dangerous precedent for countries hosting refugees, sending a message that caring for people forced from their homes is optional and that they can buy their way out of asylum. The EU’s restrictive approach has already been cited by Kenya as justification for closing the world's largest refugee camp in Dadaab. This deal also does nothing to encourage countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey - who are hosting millions of Syrian refugees - to keep their borders open."
Here is the link to MSF should you be interested in donating to them given their loss of EU funding or reading more on the solutions they are suggesting. This is conjecture of course but I strongly believe that Jo Cox MP knew nothing about the EU treatment of the refugees. The MSF article was released on 17 June 2016, the day after she tragically died. I do not believe that she would have wanted to keep supporting EU had she known the truth about their treatment of refugees. She was kind, compassionate and deeply caring.
It is wrong that the people of Europe should have free movement of travel which is in part at the huge cost of desperate people seeing refuge from the outside. We can all see how the refugees at Calais have been suffering and if we choose to do so we can visit, help, lobby and try and effect a change. We are so far removed from the EU borders it is difficult for us to see the problem and truly know the suffering of the refugees there.
I believe in the principle that each nation should have the right to their own border and with that right comes a responsibility to care for the desperate people who arrive at those borders.
Appendix
A translation from the original French:
“European Masonic Grand Lodges, alarmed by the tragedy experienced by migrants fleeing their country in war and who are beset by poverty, call on European governments to implement common policies needed for a dignified home and human populations in distress and at risk. The inability of (nation) states to overcome national egoism is a new sign of a sick Europe where every man for himself outweighs the general interest.
European Masonic Grand Lodges recall that respect for human rights and the principle of human dignity are among the founding principles of the European construction. It is based on principles that tell us that solidarity among nations was established. The spirit of solidarity is even more necessary in light of changes affecting many parts of the world.
Without going back over the history of a continent that was built to suit many migrations, these dramas should cause awareness and inspire innovative home policies. Otherwise, the continent will be divided as the drama unfolds and will bring conflict that will precipitate the peoples to a new misfortune. This will result in only a new exacerbation of nationalism.
This tragedy must be the crucible of rebirth and renewal of the European dream. The Masonic Obedience signatories are now waiting for acts in which solidarity and fraternity founders of Europe find their proper expression.”
Among the signatories to the press release are the Grand Orient of France, the Grand Lodge of Austria, the Grand Orient, the Grand Lodge of France, the Grand Orient of Belgium, the Grand Lodge of Belgium, the Grand Orient of Croatia, of the Grand Orient of Ireland, the Grand Lodge of Italy, the Grand Orient of Luxembourg, the Grand Orient of Poland, the Grand Orient of Portugal, the Grand Orient of Greece and the Women's Grand Lodge of Turkey.
Notably it seems the United Kingdom Obediences did not sign this.
“European Masonic Grand Lodges, alarmed by the tragedy experienced by migrants fleeing their country in war and who are beset by poverty, call on European governments to implement common policies needed for a dignified home and human populations in distress and at risk. The inability of (nation) states to overcome national egoism is a new sign of a sick Europe where every man for himself outweighs the general interest.
European Masonic Grand Lodges recall that respect for human rights and the principle of human dignity are among the founding principles of the European construction. It is based on principles that tell us that solidarity among nations was established. The spirit of solidarity is even more necessary in light of changes affecting many parts of the world.
Without going back over the history of a continent that was built to suit many migrations, these dramas should cause awareness and inspire innovative home policies. Otherwise, the continent will be divided as the drama unfolds and will bring conflict that will precipitate the peoples to a new misfortune. This will result in only a new exacerbation of nationalism.
This tragedy must be the crucible of rebirth and renewal of the European dream. The Masonic Obedience signatories are now waiting for acts in which solidarity and fraternity founders of Europe find their proper expression.”
Among the signatories to the press release are the Grand Orient of France, the Grand Lodge of Austria, the Grand Orient, the Grand Lodge of France, the Grand Orient of Belgium, the Grand Lodge of Belgium, the Grand Orient of Croatia, of the Grand Orient of Ireland, the Grand Lodge of Italy, the Grand Orient of Luxembourg, the Grand Orient of Poland, the Grand Orient of Portugal, the Grand Orient of Greece and the Women's Grand Lodge of Turkey.
Notably it seems the United Kingdom Obediences did not sign this.