"For years, refugees have been treated without respect by the reasons that force then to escape". It was said today by mgr. Agostino Marchetto, secretary of the Papal Council of the Pastoral for Migrants and Wanderers, as he spoke in the Vatican newsroom for the presentation of the Holy Father’s Message for the World Day of Migrant and Refugees (18 January 2009). As to refugees, archbishop Marchetto said that "the individual states are asked to defend the rights of those who leave their countries, because of persecutions, and protect them, according to the International Law". But today "some are trying to prevent them entering the countries of destination and taking measures that will make it harder what I recently called the "bearish trend", and not ‘bearing the market’". Such measures, he added, "show an erosion in humanitarian standards and the introduction of restrictive regulations, such as the obligation to have an entry visa and the publications of lists of so-called ‘safe countries’". "Unfortunately he commented , this attitude, adopted by the countries in the North of the world, has negative repercussions on the refugee policies adopted in the South". In his opinion, "this scenario looks worrying, especially if we consider a tried and tested international legislation that did and does support and protect the victims of persecution".
