MEP calls for immediate Frontex mission

MEP Simon Busuttil has called on Frontex to immediately launch the Nautilus mission in the Mediterranean and to ensure that it continues without interruption throughout the whole immigration season.

In a letter to Frontex Executive Director Brig. Gen. Ilkka Laitinen sent today, Dr Busuttil stated that as the milder weather starts setting in, the flow of illegal trips across the Mediterranean organised by criminal organisations, will resume. He also noted that this will lead to more tragic incidents, loss of life and inevitably, Mediterranean countries arguing over who should receive the immigrants.

"Countries such as Malta, which with great difficulty are still hosting thousands of immigrants who arrived in previous years, cannot afford to shoulder a greater burden" Dr Busuttil wrote to Laitenen.

"I therefore call upon you to take timely action to address this situation. In particular, I ask you to launch this year's Nautilus mission in the central Mediterranean region without delay and to ensure that it continues without interruption throughout the
entire immigration season."

This year's Nautilus mission will for the first time cover a period of six consecutive months, following Dr Busuttil's successful initiative to increase Frontex's budget for 2008 by €30 million (Lm12.88m). Frontex has allocated more than €8 million (Lm3.47m) specifically to be used for this year's mission in the central Mediterranean region.

Comments

Joseph Raymond Aquilina (on 15/4/08)

Dr Simon Busuttil is now exceptionally well placed to play a major role in matters relating to Frontex,, and hopefully beyond in the formulation of a cogent EU policy on clandestine immigration. I use the term deliberately and advisedly in view of the accent placed on this terminology and its policy implications by the newly elected government in Italy which has already declared that one of its first tasks will be to control this phenomenon. Hopefully, this will not work out to Malta's detriment. By the way I am amazed at the silence which met the non-assistance by an Italian Navy submarine of immigrants in a classic "mariners in distress" situation. The submarine simply reported to their Naples HQ which quickly passed the problem on to Malta. Our rescue boat crew should be commended for their bravery in carrying out the rescue operation in such difficult weather conditions.

Frank E. Camilleri (on 15/4/08)

Our country is too small to cater for illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration in its very essence is a national emergency . Being aware and accepting the fact of this bizarre reality is not being racist but being practical and rational.

Thank you Dr Simon Busuttil for seriously tackling this problem.

We are all proud of you as our MEP. I greatly admire the way you tackle problems and the way you explain things in simple language so that everybody can understand.

Malta, with such a small population should be very proud of having an exceptionally dedicated and intelligent and yet an unassuming MEP as yourself.

Thanks once again. Take care and God Bless.

Bernard Mamo (on 15/4/08)

It's useless patrolling and wasting all this money, when in reality what has to be done is to go to the root of the problem and stop the MASTERMINDS sending these people. Europe, please open up you mouth and do something which will give a return not just 'Tghatti x-Xemx bl-gharbiel'