The Arriva alleged racist issues.

Nice reply remik!

Tell me, is this the correct email to report a complaint at Arriva?: enquiries@arriva.com.mt

That is the one out here, yes.

From the European Commission, Directorate General for Mobility and Transport Unit D4 - Passenger rights -Tuesday, 16th April, 2013:

Re: 1) Non-Maltese public bus passengers subjected to systemic institutional discrimination on the basis of their race, colour, ethnic origin or language in the implementation of the two-tier bus fare scheme.

Dear Mr Jones-Dillon,

Further to your e-mail of 22 March 2013, we would like provide you with the following elements of reply.

We would firstly like to reiterate that the Commission has raised the issue of possible discrimination of non-resident Union nationals in sales of tickets by Arriva Ltd based on race, colour, ethnic origin and language in the framework of our inquiry on the compatibility of the Maltese bus fare scheme with Union law.

In its reply of 19 December 2012, the Maltese Government made it clear that Transport Malta, the national transport regulator, will step up its enforcement to ensure that the Bus Transport Operator strictly adheres to the contract conditions whereby the sole requirement for anyone wanting to avail themselves of the discounted fares is the presentation of a valid Maltese identity card or accepted proof of residence in Malta.

Transport Malta has written formally to the Bus Transport Operator explaining the issues raised by the Commission on this matter, and has requested unambiguously that any such deficiencies be immediately rectified. The Maltese Government promised to monitor the situation closely.

We consider therefore that the Maltese Government has taken the necessary legal steps to put an end to the situation that you describe.

If Arriva Malta Ltd behaves nevertheless as a matter of fact in a discriminatory manner, it is our position at this stage that Transport Malta, the regulatory authority that is supervising the operation of the Maltese public bus system, is better placed to investigate cases of alleged discrimination based on race, colour, ethnic origin or language with regard to bus fares and to seek solutions to individual cases as compared to the Commission services.

We would like to stress that the Commission is not in a position to provide you with any individual redress. In order to settle your individual dispute with the Maltese authorities and Arriva Malta Ltd regarding the problems of the application of the bus fare scheme in a discriminatory manner, you may submit an action to a Maltese Court that as a Union court is obliged to apply EU law directly.

In addition we would be ready to draw the attention of Transport Malta to the issue that you raise by describing your own case.  Please let us know in this respect whether you allow us to disclose your identity to the Maltese authorities in relation to such a communication. Please also provide us with a detailed description of the behaviour you have been confronted with on behalf of Arriva Malta Ltd and the questions you have already posed to Transport Malta.

As regards other issues that you have described in your e-mail, we would like to point out that they are covered by the infringement case that the Commission has initiated against Malta concerning possible discrimination of non-resident Union citizens in Maltese bus transport with regard to bus fares as compared to Maltese residents.

Yours sincerely,

Head of Unit

Letter ends:

Anybody on the forum who wishes to submit their observations to the specific investigating officers of the European Commission (and European Parliament) may contact me by e-mail (via the expat-blog) to obtain their contact details.

Err, this isn't about the two tier charging, it's about the discrimination of Black Africans, witnessed by some of us!!

Further to the response I received from Arriva, earlier.........

Thank you for your email.
We have taken note of your comment and it shall be passed on to our department concerned and once internal protocols are completed, we will apply corrective measures in accordance with Arriva Company guidelines proportionate with the seriousness of your report.
Thank you once again for your feedback.
Kind Regards,

I have responded............

May I ask who decides the ‘seriousness’ of the incident and my report?

I will not await a response with baited breath, I'll go blue and pass out before that happens I think.

Any progress mantonas?

dont hold your breath guys - respect for following it through....

the two tier charging is also a discrimination when you have to show your id card among other people who get on the bus with the discount rate according to your color, your accent, your face, your dress. It is not smart to apply two tariffs for a single ticket. I traveled in Germany for vacation. I took the bus but sorry I didn't need to show an id card or justify anything. I paid the same tariff for a single day ticket as everybody. If we study the Malta case, they shouldn't have never been accepted in the EU. That's why Europe is a mess now when we see the countries which are now in the EU.

youtube.com/watch?v=s2IaFaJrmno

jj2013 wrote:

the two tier charging is also a discrimination when you have to show your id card among other people who get on the bus with the discount rate according to your color, your accent, your face, your dress.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear jj2013,

In view of the falsehoods the Maltese authorities have provided to the European Commission regarding Arriva’s practice of discrimination based on appearance and language, you may wish to enlighten the European Parliament Committee on Petitions in respect of your own experience and observations.

In this regard, please see:
europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&reference=PE-514.952&format=PDF&language=EN&secondRef=01

Simply copy, paste and submit your comment above to:

secure.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/petition.html

AAAAAAAAAgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's the solution for everything is it?

Hi red,

at least Byron49 (Oisin),

addressed jj2013 personally this time -))

The best petition is the one running in Malta for a Referendum against spring hunting but only those who can vote in the Maltese national elections can sign. Let's make sure all our Maltese friends sign!

Cheers
Ricky

Byron,
Perhaps you can send me a link to a petition against annoying links to EU petitions.
If not why don't you request people send you a PM if they want a link to one of your repetitious and annoying petitions.

Thank you

Terry

tearnet wrote:

Byron,
Perhaps you can send me a link to a petition against annoying links to EU petitions.
If not why don't you request people send you a PM if they want a link to one of your repetitious and annoying petitions.

Thank you

Terry

I'll sign that one!

Right......

at the real risk of sticking my neck right out, I thought that rational people believed in freedom of expression and opinion on here; and I think it a little unfair to issue dictats because it 'grates' against personal views and opinions.

If something like this appears here that is of no interest then just 'walk on by' please don't attack it (unless it is absolutely and totally offensive)............for heavens sake I have been guilty of posting some right tosh on here too.

Byron49 (oisin) may be annoying to some but he has the same right to voice as all others here, however, he must refrain from 'ramming it down our throats' as that would be too much (Byron - balance please). He has put some really useful info on here to help people by pointing them in the right direction.

I stick up for no-one (save my family) but expect common politeness from educated and well balanced people.



Puts tin hat on.

I haven't read any dictats here.

redmik wrote:

I haven't read any dictats here.

Maybe too strong a word, however, I feel I got my view across.  It is not the first time that the poster has been reproved (is that better) on this forum.

we all have views and opinions - and some people dont like them - some do - bottom line is that the forum is a library of information -  and we can all be guilty of these things - ok maybe byrons posts are repetitive but they still serve a purpose. ok maybe as a suggestion he may wish to consider contact byu using PMs ... but thats his choice nobody elses..

Sorry if you think I have started dictating what people should or shouldn't post. I thought I was pointing out in my own subtle way that repeated links to the same old EU commission site as a response to a genuine question from  a concerned member looking for immediate help is not a helpful response.
We could of course put all of Byrons49's EU petitions on a "sticky" and save him  a lot of cut and paste answers to questions people haven't even asked.

Rant over, carry on as normal.

Terry

Hello,

this thread is back on the forum. But could you please explain us context ?

redmik, it is very complicated to understand your message when we read it from the other side of the planet without any explanation of the context

Sorry for the inconvenience

thanks,

Julien

Hi all,

I agree with others that the basic message that Byron(Oisin) is sending is ok . That is , don't accept everything you are told and use your EU rights if neccessary.

But, and this is where it becomes a pain, to follow your EU rights means that you also have to follow your EU obligations. And many of our fellow Expats have not done so in the past.

The petition everything is certainly not a quick fix for every problem that crops up in every day life and should be a special tool to be used in special cases.

Sometimes you can over-do things and start damaging a good idea Byron.

I don't think that we should put 'petitions' as 'sticky' on the site but use the option responsibly and not de-value it by applying it to everything and nothing.

Just my humble opinion and not wanting to dictate anyone.

Cheers
Ricky

Fill in this EU petition and wait 5 years is not the answer that posters on this (or any other, I guess)site want.

Some of the problems posted are a result of people not knowing what they have to do or not understanding what the Maltese authorities require them to do.

Byrons answer is to post a link to an EU site and asks them to fill in a petition plus telling us what some EU commissioner has said Malta must do at some time in the future, not helpful in most cases.
He generally gives no advice on a specific question and rarely responds when someone challenges him.

Terry

Hi Terry,

as Byron is most probaly following the posts I would expect a change for the better and a more considerate use of  'petitions' and more everyday advice as to how to avoid problems in the first place.

Byron, I have asked you several times already, have you applied for your e-residence card or maybe even already received it? What was your experience when applying?

Cheers
Ricky