Nationalist MP warns of 'rising temperature'

Nationalist MP Franco Galea has demanded drastic action at various levels to enable Malta to face up to the problems of illegal immigration.

He said the country did not have the space or resources to receive more migrants. Therefore, while recognising the difficulties which certain migrants may have, Malta should not continue abiding by agreements or international obligations which went back 50 years, when it was still a British colony.

He also warned that in Malta, the temperature over illegal immigrants was rising and there was a growing risk of protests over migration.

Making his sixth adjournment speech on illegal migration, Mr Galea said this issue was a national emergency.

In discussing illegal immigration one always had to keep in mind that one was speaking about human beings. But one also needed to recognise the problems which the country was facing because of this issue.

All the forces of the country needed to unite to defend and protect the Maltese people, territory and heritage.

Malta was being increasingly cornered through the decisions of neighbouring countries such as the agreement between Italy and Libya on the repatriation of migrants who arrived in Libya. In contrast to this agreement, Malta had received assistance from Italy, including patrol boats and equipment aimed at enabling it to receive migrants, which it would then be saddled with as it has no repatriation arrangements with Libya.

The Italian interior minister had last year proposed that Malta should become a detention centre for migrants, and this was what was actually happening. Next year the Malta search and rescue area would be extended to cover the whole area from Crete to Tunisia and any migrants found there would have to be brought here even though they would have left from those countries which Malta's neighbours had a repatriation agreement with.

Mr Galea said the EU assistance for countries affected by illegal immigration, at €1 million, was not generous at all. This only amounted to Lm140,000 for Malta, equivalent to the cost of accommodating 35 migrants for a year.

"I suggest we pay a similar sum and send the migrants to those countries that can accommodate them and have job opportunities for them."

Several countries such as Italy, France, Germany, the UK and Spain had also reached agreement to share repatriation flights, Mr Galea said. Where was Malta in all this?"

Libya and Tunisia were very keen on exclusive fisheries zone, he observed. So Malta could not fish or seek oil in those areas, but it was then expected to take migrants who crossed those waters!

It was not enough for Libya to say it had too long a coastline to police. During the African leaders' conference in Sirte and when there were joint Italian-Libyan naval manoeuvres, there were no landings by illegal migrants.

Mr Galea observed that British High Commissioner Vincent Fean had remarked that the UK was not keen on the reallocation of illegal migrants, which Malta had proposed. He had argued that proposals on relocation had to be tackled at a bilateral level, meaning Malta had to act on its own.

This showed how Malta was being regarded at the international level over this issue. It also showed how Malta needed to look after its interests. This country had been brought with its back to the wall, conditioned by local and foreign organisations and the media to assume the responsibilities of other countries for illegal migrants, including the responsibilities of former colonial powers and those countries which had sold weapons and generally exploited the countries where the migrants came from.

It was good that debt relief initiatives were being taken to benefit the African countries, but there was also need for action over the migrants which had left those countries heading for Europe.

Europe needed to come up with initiatives that would ensure that Africa was not depleted of the human resources it needed to rebuild its economies.

In Malta, the temperature over illegal immigrants was rising and one was risking protests over their excessive number. Hiding the situation would not get anyone anywhere. Expressing concern about the situation did not make one a racist or a fascist. The problem was growing at an unsustainable rate. This was a complex issue which included health, culture, religion, prostitution, education and housing.

Several matters needed to be clarified. Why was it that most of the migrants were men of a certain age? What about their wives and families, had they left them behind? Was it true that some had cash with them and even phones? Was it true that on arrival they asked for particular people? Was it true that they had access to phone cards when there were no such means of communication in their country?

Was it true or not that clashes between Maltese and migrants were on the increase? Was it true that prostitution was increasing? What was happening in internet cafes' accessible to these foreigners?

Mr Galea warned that the current problems could pale when one saw what could be in store for the future.

For, he estimated, with the extension of Malta's search and rescue area, the country could end up receiving some 15,000 migrants, including those who currently arrived at Sicily and Lampedusa. With the current intake of some 1,500 already absorbing some 15 per cent of the budget of the AFM, one could calculate the implications of such a massive influx, if it were to come about. And where would all these migrants be housed?

Clearly the issue demanded drastic action at various levels. For a start, the Maltese needed to be honest with themselves about the problem. Malta never colonised any other country and did not have the responsibilities that other European countries should shoulder. Importantly, it did not have the space or resources to receive more illegal immigrants.

Therefore, Malta, while recognising the difficulties that certain migrants may have, could not continue abiding by agreements or international obligations going back 50 years ago, when it was still a British colony.

Mr Galea proposed a special House sitting to discuss action in the face of illegal immigration. Malta, he insisted, needed to rise to the challenge it faced.

He knew some would view his remarks with contempt or incredulity, but his conscience was clear and this was only a small risk in the face of what Malta could face.

Malta should, first and foremost be for the Maltese, and it should come first. Only then could it help others.