Lawyer complains of discrimination

A lawyer has taken the Italian authorities to task, accusing them of discrimination against Maltese passport holders by asking them personal questions when they arrive in Italy.

Anna Mallia claimed that other EU and non-EU nationals are not being subjected to the same kind of treatment and she felt humiliated when she was asked so many questions about why she was in Italy. Dr Mallia flew Rome via Reggio Calabria with some American friends last Thursday.

"My friends wanted to see Rome, so we decided to go there for two days," she said. "On arrival at Rome airport, my friends passed through the non-EU channel without a hitch while we had to queue up as the immigration officers quizzed each passenger holding a Maltese passport.

"When it was my turn, the immigration officer scanned my passport and started asking me about the purpose of my stay, where I was staying, when I was last in Italy, where I had stayed and so forth. I told her she could arrest me because I was not going to reply. She took me to the chief immigration officer and I told him clearly this was a case of discrimination.

"I asked him why they were asking so many questions and he said he was not obliged to give me an answer as no one interfered with their work. He added many people were arriving in Italy from Eastern Europe with a Maltese passport and they wanted to control the flow.

"We are doing it for your sake too, he told me before he let me go," Dr Mallia said.

She said she has now written to all MEPs, to Foreign Minister Michael Frendo and to the European Commission's Permanent Representative in Malta, Joanna Drake.

"Dr Drake informed me she would be taking up the issue with European Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini as this goes against freedom of movement," Dr Mallia said.

Contacted for his reaction, Italian Ambassador Paolo Andrea Trabalza said: "She is complaining and she should be happy instead. She said she was told that Italy has a problem with immigrants from Eastern Europe bearing Maltese passports, so control at the border should be enhanced.

"I am sorry she was distressed, but if it's true, it's for all our benefit. The police have done their duty in a polite way, because although the police were not obliged to give out certain information, they even told her why they were doing it.

"Unfortunately, in this day and age, security comes on top of everything. Having said this, I have contacted the ministry concerned and I am waiting for an official reaction. This is an initial reaction that stems from common sense," he said.