Friday, 25th July 2008
Illegal migration
Malta insists on concrete measures
Malta yesterday reiterated its agreement with the French proposal for a European Pact on Immigration and Asylum but insisted that the pact has also to include stronger wording in order to introduce concrete solidarity measures including a new mechanism of burden sharing.
Speaking during an EU Justice Council meeting in Brussels, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici moved an amendment to the final text of the pact.
The amendment calls upon the EU to introduce a mechanism of burden sharing whereby EU member states commit themselves to share the burden of other member states facing difficulties in dealing with large influxes of illegal immigrants due to their small size and geographical position.
Sources close to the government told The Times that Malta's initiative already has the backing of a number of member states facing the same difficulties as Malta. The supporting member states include Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Portugal and France. Others are still undecided.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that Malta is cautiously optimistic that by the end of the discussions, which are expected to be concluded in October, its insistence will be accepted by all the EU member states.
"Our position on this issue has been clear and consistent all the way," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.
"We agree with the French presidency that there should be this pact and we are all for it. However, we also want that the pact will be reinforced so that small countries like us receive much needed solidarity. This has to be done through concrete initiatives and mechanisms by the EU and its member states and we will be doing our best in the next weeks to convince all the member states to agree to our initiative."
Last year, Malta had already made a burden-sharing proposal to the EU through which illegal immigrants rescued in third-countries' waters, like Libya, will be allocated to all the EU member states by strict proportionality. Though this proposal is still on the table, many member states did not show any particular enthusiasm for it.
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Comments
@Franco Farrugia: If thats what is going to take,yes leave them"bejn sema u ilma" The blood will be on your brothers the oil rich nation of Libya hands, not ours.
@Mary Grech Last time I checked a couple means 2 we are approaching 11 thousand. African Americans find the word coloured when referring to Black people as a racist word. Don't use racist words in your argument. The skin color of these people have nothing to with this argument., It's the numbers that are coming in.
@Sandro Pace if Europe send Europeans to Libya in an alarming number, they will kill them upon arrival.
50 years ago our grand parents used to have 10 children. 25 years, probably 5. Now it is about one or two children per family, on average. That is one matter. That is how the EU should see it. (if at all).
The increase in population by chaotic, massive and unwanted illegal immigration, is another matter, and though population density comes into it more than you think, there are other matters and concerns.
It's always lose lose with such idiotic argument. If we have pop decrease, we need immigrants, if we have pop increase, throw them with the rest.
We have the right not to be overcrowded by immigrants afterall.
I think the population of Libya is always increasing. But go and tell them to accept a hypotethical increase in population by a couple of european 'boat people'.
Someone said 'things are moving'. Bet on it. Things are not moving. The EU always give us movement impression.
About CMB, I totally agree with Ms L. Vella. He cannot match his predecessor.
There are times to be soft, other times require other measures.
Immigrants living in comfort? The public getting angry? I am the public. I am not angry.
Will you give up your comfy life and go and live there instead of them? I doubt it.
Your incessant attacks on immigrants is well-known. What is not as well-known is what you believe should be done. Keep them 'bejn sema w ilma'? Is that what you are after? Let them drown in open sea? Turn a blind eye?
I don't think there is a single person in this country who doesn't wish to see the end of the last immigrant in this country.
But to claim, as others are doing, that an immigrant's life here in Malta is comfortable, means that you are totally blind to what's going on around you. Or totally prejudiced.
The issue is ILLEGALITY and not skin colour. You are again confusing the issue.
We Maltese are RIGHTFULLY DEMANDING a fair proportional burden sharing. We are not a dumping station for a situation which we did not bring about.
The sage Maltese proverb you cited: ‘l-ikbar trux dak li ma jridx jisma u l-ikbar ghama dak il ma jridx jara!’ most certainly applies to yourself.
You keyed in:
i. ‘This is how EU see (sees - watch your verbs!!) the issue’.
How come you know how the EU ‘sees the issue?’ Your name is not amongst our five MEP's.
You further keyed in:
ii. ‘To be sure, it (refering to the growth in Maltese population) will have happened with the consent and blessing of your two authorities. And nobody is calling a halt to this sort of growth rate.’
‘with the consent of your two authorities’:
Why not ‘our’? Are you a Maltese citizen or not? If not, or are ashamed to openly declare that you are, then please mind your own business.
You continued:
iii. ‘And nobody is calling a halt to this sort of growth rate.’ ... ‘If your country is too densely populated already, .... the Maltese should start doing something about this among themselves first, …’
What do you suggesting? Introduce abortion perhaps? You should be really ashamed of yourself on all counts.
There is no connection between the Maltese increase in population and ILLEGAL immigration. You are confusing the issue.
Even Silvio Berlusconi was shocked when he was forced to admit that the average numbers of illegals landing on Malta's shores was comparable to 1.4million of them arriving in Italy!!!
This is how EU see the issue:
Within the last 10 years, the population of Malta has increased from 360,000 to over 400,000 last year, an increase of 40,000 people, which nobody has ever complained much about or objected to. To be sure, it will have happened with the consent and blessing of your two authorities. And nobody is calling a halt to this sort of growth rate.
Why should a country with a population-politics like this not be able to take a couple of thousand coloured and black people along with all these Maltese? If your country is too densely populated already, as your politicians claim, the Maltese should start doing something about this among themselves first, before they childishly start complaining about this, that or the other in Brussels.
As the Maltese saying goes, l-ikbar trux dak li ma jridx jisma u l-ikbar ghama dak il ma jridx jara!
So come October, even if this tentative fails I hope that our Goverment will hear our pleas and decide to finally start taking concrete measures to try as stop this invasion.
Your theory, particularly about the larger number of immigrants coming to Malta does not hold water statistically.
Neighbouring Mediterranean countries have seen far larger increases than those being experienced by Malta. Landings in Lampedusa this year tripled over last year while those in Greece doubled.
Opening up the detention centres for the press was merely an exercise aimed calling the bluff of NGOs which depicted the detention centres in Malta as Gulags without ever stepping inside one of them..
Louise, we are all human beings and all are liable to mistakes irrespective of our position/office we hold.
The worst thing is when one either does not admit to his/her mistakes (females commit mistakes too - I am only joking!) or does not at least endeavour to correct them.
In some of the comments I posted, I used very strong language re this issue against officials/persons, when they were either not doing enough/anything, or worse, when they were consciously/unconsciously betraying our country.
I am NOT SORRY for posting those comments. I am NOT keying this out of pride but because it is the THRUTH.
I am sure that all of us (including you) who regularly reacted strongly when our country was being scorned at, had the love of our country and of our children at heart.
Now things SEEM to be moving. Admittedly, I am keying this with fingers crossed. Malta, through our Government, is trying to do something concrete re this top priority issue.
Let us give a chance to these recent positive moves through our Government and the minister concerned, and then react accordingly.
Moreover, illegals coming from Libyan territory into Maltese waters should also be returned there!! After all, when the Italian Authorities rescue illegal (NOT irregular please!) immigrants from Maltese waters they are invariably brought here to be added to the rising population at Hal-Far-stan or Ta' Kandja-bad!