Mexico City, February 21 (RHC-teleSUR), -- In a meeting between members of the European Parliament and Mexican government officials, EU lawmakers criticized the Mexican government for failing to adequately address human rights violations, corruption, and forced disappearances, in particular the handling of the 43 missing Ayotzinapa students.

“I reject the idea that Iguala is an isolated case… We have to continue to process the issues and we possess the ability to admit when there exists a problem. We must also be willing to face the issue of organized crime, because the figures are alarming and are comparable to a state of war,” Italian Euro-deputy Pina Picierno said Thursday.

According to official figures, 22,322 people are actually reported missing, while more than 10,000 have gone missing since President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in December 2012.

The EU delegation arrived in Mexico to meet civil society groups, non-governmental organisations and government officials in order to evaluate the ongoing domestic security issues facing the country.

Italian Lawmaker Giulia Moi also issued concern over the failure to enforce legislation with regards to ensuring citizen security.

In response, Mexican Senator Omar Fayad, the head of the Senate’s security commission, claimed that the Iguala case was “totally resolved,” and was only being kept alive by those wishing to manipulate it for “political reasons.”