Maltese MEPs insist on EU action

The European Justice and Security Commissioner, Franco Frattini, was put on the spot yesterday as Maltese MEPs grilled him about illegal immigration.

The heat was turned on Mr Frattini during the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg when three Maltese MEPs launched a scathing attack on the way the Commission is dealing with this problem.

MEPs Simon Busuttil, David Casa and Louis Grech challenged the Commission to get its act together and provide Malta with the necessary assistance.

Dr Busuttil asked the Commission to come up with a date when it will start patrol operations off Malta. The Commission had promised such patrols would start as early as last spring.

"The Maltese are expecting results. You have promised us border patrols and burden sharing. We are not seeing any of this. How long is it going to take," he asked.

Referring to last week's arrival of almost 400 immigrants and to the incidents between the police and immigrants on the run in Safi, Dr Busuttil said Malta is clearly showing solidarity with these people. He questioned whether the EU was doing the same.

Mr Grech reminded the Commission and the Council of a resolution approved three months ago by the European Parliament calling for concrete measures to help Malta and for a revision of the Dublin II Convention, regulating the way the EU tackles asylum seekers.

"Malta is facing an explosive situation and it is time to act. The only measures taken so far, thanks to the personal initiative of Commissioner Frattini, are considered to be too little, too late. Small countries like Malta cannot handle these hundreds of illegal immigrants any longer and a revision of the Dublin II Convention is now a priority," Mr Grech said.

Mr Grech said the Maltese are losing faith in the EU because they are not seeing any progress on this issue. He appealed to the Commission to launch its projects as soon as possible to prove its credibility.

"This is worth much more than a thousand declarations and press releases on detailed plans that don't materialise," he argued.

Mr Casa accused the Commission and the Council of ignoring the European Parliament's resolution on Malta. "We want Europe to stand by its responsibilities and promises. The Commission should treat every member state in the same way and it is obvious that due to its small area and high population density, Malta's illegal immigration problem is the most acute among all the 25 EU member states."

Illegal immigration is expected to be raised once again today during a press conference by the European People's Party in Strasbourg and which will be addressed by MEPs from Malta, Italy, Spain and Germany.