Support for Malta's stand on migrants (4)

When I read the article Migrants' Boat Heads For Spain (May 30) I had to recall the year 1999 when thousands of Albanian refugees crossed over to Italian shores hoping to find asylum from their war-stricken country. The media, press and TV reported day by day the shameful reaction of the Italian authorities who did not want to grant them asylum, not even allowing them to set foot on Italian shores. The Italian navy even rammed unprotected small Albanian boats filled with refugees. Only God knows how many drowned in the Adriatic Sea. This happened only eight years ago!

The Italian Committee for Refugees (CIR) last week described Malta's refusal to host the immigrants as shameful. May I ask where was the Italian solidarity in 1999? At least Malta provided the Spanish trawler with food and drink in contrast to the Italian actions in 1999.

What I call shameful as well is the fact that the EU, of which Malta is a member state, allowed it to struggle on its own during the whole of last year. There were times when Malta hosted more than 2,000 refugees, much too many for such a small country. Yes, I feel ashamed of being an EU citizen realising that solidarity seems to be strange vocabulary to most of the EU countries.

What Malta needs is active solidarity, such as logistics and finances. However, people in distress at sea need our immediate help and legal or political questions should be settled afterwards.

I congratulate the Maltese government for putting its foot down and pressing the EU.