Editorial

There is clearly something that is not right with the end result of the current Frontex operation in the Mediterranean. It may be intended as a sop to give the impression that the European Union is doing something to alleviate the migration crisis afflicting its Mediterranean member states, notably Spain, Italy and Malta.

As Frontex executive director Ilkka Laitinen clearly told The Sunday Times last week, burden sharing does not fall within his agency's remit. "It is a political issue," he lamented, while his prime concern is ensuring the agency's operations are carried out successfully. Nor does the rescue of immigrants at sea, apparently.

That is only a by-product of the fact that naval vessels on patrol have no choice but to lend assistance to the migrants in distress - just like any other vessel in the vicinity is obliged to do according to maritime law. So the statistics related to the saving of immigrants in distress by the Nautilus II mission are also incidental - just under a hundred on four boats, three of which were proceeding to Malta.

There is clearly also a chasm between what Frontex is tasked to do according to its brief and what politicians like EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini say it will do. So, while Mr Laitinen spoke to The Sunday Times in terms of budget allocation, what was committed to the agency on paper and what it has in reality at its disposal, Mr Frattini made a bold statement that Frontex operations will become permanent in the Mediterranean from next Germany.

While it is clearly the politicians who, ultimately, call the shots, Frontex cannot be blamed for working within its remit and ensuring that the operations are carried out with the maximum efficiency.

Where does this leave Malta? While our armed forces and the police are stretched to the limit, a lot has been done to set the record straight with our EU member partners. Mr Frattini himself said Malta was not to blame for being in the current situation. He called on the other EU member countries who had committed to contribute to the 115 boats, 25 helicopters and 25 aircraft for patrol missions to come up with the goods.

Some €7 million are also to be allocated for repatriation programmes, but, clearly, this is not the right way to tackle the problem. Libya's reticence to take part in Frontex is a major stumbling block, but ultimately it is the control of the pressure from the heart of Africa of the immigrants to leave their countries of origin that has to be tackled first.

When Frontex's functions and tasks will be reviewed, under the incoming Portuguese EU presidency, it is hoped that a greater effort will be made to clarify some of the grey areas within which the agency operates. The strength of acting as a deterrent cannot be stressed too lightly, along with the attendant media campaign addressed at north African countries to encourage migrants not to continue to risk their lives in such hazardous crossings.

Looking back on the events of the past week, with the briefings of Mr Laitinen and Mr Frattini, it is imperative that the concerns of the Mediterranean EU member countries be addressed. While Frontex will attempt to start a dialogue with Libya in the coming months, thebreach of sovereignty issue should not remain a stumbling block to participation.

Political pressure must also be brought to bear to ensure that Frontex will be given the space to fulfil its operational role and the end result will be a lessening of the pressure by migrants seeking to enter the European Union through its soft but potentially deadly underbelly at the great risk of loss of human life.

Malta, however, the smallest member of the EU, has proved and continues to prove that it is more than doing its bit, to address this problem that is sapping our resources and is leading to the creation of social problems for which we should not be blamed in the first place.