Labour MP calls for EU help

Labour MP Gavin Gulia yesterday made the case for immediate EU assistance to Malta in the wake of the surge in illegal immigration.

Dr Gulia was representing the Malta Labour Party at a European Socialist Party meeting in Amsterdam which discussed national experiences of uncontrolled immigration.

Dr Gulia explained that the PES had a role to play in developing a progressive strategy within the EU institutions. This emphasised the social democratic ideal of compassion and integration of genuine refugees, while implementing a mechanism that co-ordinated the sharing of the burden of integration based on equity and solidarity among member states.

Dr Gulia argued that the left should not defend notions of unlimited, uncontrolled immigration flows because this led to confusion and problems in managing the integration of genuine refugees, a principle which social democratic parties would do well to continue to defend.

Malta, he added, had been hit hard by a surge of immigration over the past months and the situation deserved particular attention by the EU.

"The intended final destination of immigrants was invariably Europe, with the great majority of immigrants being forced into Malta by bad weather. Therefore Europe must feel compelled to share the problem with Malta," he insisted.

Dr Gulia also reiterated the spirit of consensus between the government and the Opposition on the issue. He thanked the Dutch Government for accepting some refugees from Malta, saying this was proof that burden sharing was possible if the political will existed among member states.

At the end of the meeting, Luca Cefisi of the Italian Socialist party SDI observed that if Holland accepted some refugees from Malta he could not see how other countries - including Italy - could refuse to do likewise.