The EU must not be a silent witness

In view of his impending visit to Malta, I would like to address the following to European Commission President Josè Manuel Barroso:

"I am sure that illegal immigration during your two-day visit to Malta later on this month will be on your agenda. I hope that your position on this matter will be very clear and that you will not leave us with conflicting thoughts.

"Mr President, the Maltese people find it very unfair that tiny Malta has to face the constant flow of illegal immigration alone as help from the EU is not forthcoming. Only the other day your colleague, Commissioner Franco Frattini, accused the Maltese authorities of letting people die and that Malta is hiding behind bureaucratic arguments.

"How unfair. You know well enough Mr President, that delays for taking action with regard to Dublin 2 cannot be blamed on Malta, as I'm sure you agree that the EU's border control agency Frontex needs to pull up its socks and start doing what it should have been doing months ago.

"The recent statement by the European Commission that it is not yet planning an immediate sea border patrol mission in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and this despite the recent refugee dramas in the Mediterranean, is unacceptable. It shows a lack of sensitivity with small countries like Malta. Frontex has so far failed to act and is certainly not living up to its promises in tackling illegal immigration.

"Mr President, the influx of illegal immigration cannot be handled by Malta alone, everybody must contribute, not least the EU. We do not have the necessary resources to cope with such influx and simply throwing money our way will solve nothing. What we want is immediate action, genuine cooperation and the right mechanisms in place.

"The Maltese people are very understanding of the hardships these migrants have to go through to escape from very unbearable situations in their countries. Unfortunately, however, we are too small and our resources limited.

"The African continent is crying for help. Genocides, injustice, discrimination and poverty are the order of the day. Mr President, the EU, while recognising the need to help and eliminate this injustice, is, I believe, not doing enough to address this problem. There exists broad political consensus that action is to be taken immediately, however, the results are not exactly satisfying. A long-term solution needs to be found. "You are well aware, Mr President, that these dangerous journeys more often than not start from Libya. Thousands of people are waiting in Libya to cross the Mediterranean in a bid to enter the EU illegally via Malta, Italy and Spain.

"What is the EU doing to address this problem? A proper dialogue with Libya is needed. Libya must shoulder its responsibility.

"Mr President, the time for rhetoric is now over. It is time to act and act fast. It is unacceptable that, faced by these human tragedies, the EU continues to drag its feet. It is unfair that Malta is left on its own till someone finally wakes up and decides that it is time to act. I am a firm believer in the EU and the crucial role it plays in making the world a better place. With regard to illegal immigration I am, however, very much disappointed.

"Mr President, the EU cannot be a silent witness in front of this human crisis. I trust that your visit to Malta will be fruitful in this regard."