Azzjoni Nazzjonali leader Josie Muscat insisted yesterday his party was not a racist group but was against illegal immigration and the repercussions this had on Malta.

"It's not Malta's role to solve the problems in Africa, so we can't understand why we should carry the burden alone," he said, speaking about illegal immigrants during a press conference on law and order.

The subject of immigrants was raised when he was referring to the "enormous burden" of soldiers who, he claimed, could no longer cope with the immigrants and were working in "terrible conditions" where they were even spat upon and assaulted by immigrants in detention centres.

"If people keep saying we are racist, I will have to show everyone the weapons these immigrants make out of bedposts and use them against the soldiers," Dr Muscat said, adding he would also reveal the medication taken by immigrants for various diseases.

When asked whether treating immigrants in centres in a more human way would lead to less anger and perhaps also solve the problem of violence, Dr Muscat said AN believed that once immigrants landed on our shores they should be fed and clothed. But they should not all remain in Malta. They should proceed to other countries through an EU burden-sharing system. Malta should take its share but not carry the whole burden.

"If the EU interferes when it comes to birds and trapping, then why doesn't it open its month about these immigrants who are kept in cages," he asked, adding that, after all, these immigrants might not even want to be kept in Malta. While AN did not agree with them being kept "in cages", Dr Muscat said his party did not want immigrants who were in Malta illegally to form communities within villages and "take over". He wondered whether the residents of towns and villages, such as Balzan, had been asked if they wanted open centres in their community.

Speaking about the way AN would address law and order he said his party would work to motivate soldiers by addressing the "unjust" way in which promotions were given.

AN also believed that the army should fall under a President elected by the people who would serve as Commander-in-Chief. AN was also suggesting that local wardens be administrated by the police because "the police are answerable to the Maltese Parliament and, therefore, to the people". The money collected through fines should all go to the central government.

On this point, he clarified that, although AN believed in private initiatives, the local warden system should not be left in the hands of a private company that had a monopoly.

Moving on to the police force, he said AN wanted to strengthen the force and ensure it was well equipped so that all police stations were manned and opened and roads, villages and coasts would be patrolled.

It was also necessary to invest in both the police force and the army in order to supply them with modern technological equipment and ensure there was no political interference.