Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
Busuttil proposes solidarity mechanism for 2009 EU budget
Simon Busuttil: The initiative is another step to exert more pressure on the EU to transform words into action.
Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil has decided to take the EU to task and test its promises of solidarity and burden sharing on illegal migration and asylum by proposing changes to the 2009 budget, including the setting up of an EU-wide refugee resettlement programme.
Backed by another three MEPs from the EPP group - Greek Margaritis Schinas, Cypriot Panayiotis Demetrio and Spaniard Salvador Garriga Polledio, whose countries are also heavily affected by illegal immigration - Dr Busuttil presented his plan to the European Parliament's Budget Committee, which will shortly be discussing and proposing its amendments to the EU's 2009 budget estimates.
Dr Busuttil is suggesting that, as from next year, the EU should launch a pilot project, to be called Intra-EU Solidarity Mechanism, aimed at facilitating the voluntary reallocation of refugees and beneficiaries of international protection from EU member states, facing severe pressure from immigration flows, to other EU members.
Through a budget allocation of €5 million for its first year of operation, Dr Busuttil explained to the Budget Committee, such mechanism would be established at EU level and will be put into operation on a test basis so that it may eventually be pursued under a Common European Asylum System.
"Member states would freely determine all aspects of the selection process on a voluntary basis and the Commission would set the framework, issue guidelines, encourage participation and facilitate management coordination," Dr Busuttil says.
Contacted by The Times, Dr Busuttil said the initiative is another step to exert more pressure on the EU to transform words into action.
"There is an increasing awareness on the plight of some EU member states such as Malta and other southern members that are facing a disproportionate burden from immigration flows. Yet, there is no EU programme that facilitates relocation or resettlement of refugees among EU member states. This pilot project, if approved, will be the first concrete step towards establishing a solidarity mechanism at EU level," he said.
Asked whether his proposal is too ambitious, Dr Busuttil said it will be an uphill struggle to persuade everyone but the proposal will definitely add more pressure on the EU Council and the 27 member states.
Although Malta has been calling for concrete solidarity measures, particularly burden sharing, to help southern members states tackle increasing influxes of immigrants, the EU reaction has always been lukewarm, particularly due to the undeclared resistance of some member states, mainly the northern ones, that are not really affected by the problem.
The only concrete measure taken so far was the setting up of EU-funded border patrol missions, which in the case of Malta have proved to be not so effective due to Libya's non-cooperation with Frontex and the member states participating in these missions.
Despite the negative popular feeling in Malta about the Frontex patrols, Dr Busuttil is proposing the allocation of an extra €12 million to the border agency's budget for next year in order to make the surveillance patrols a permanent feature.
Admitting that such patrols have not been very effective so far in Malta's case, Dr Busuttil said they are still a positive initiative.
"Moreover, the Maltese AFM obtains a reimbursement of 80 per cent of the cost of its patrols," he added.
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In Discussion
22 Comments
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J. Schembri
Sep 17th 2008, 19:24
@ Charles Sammut : Satellite dish licences were quoted as an example , if you want more info pop in Simon's website , and you will see that he works incessantly for us Maltese citizens to get the maximum benefits from our membership in the EU .
www.simonbusuttil.eu/ -
Comparisons are odious but I cannot help comparing him to another of our MEP's who signed a petition in favour of "safe abortion" .
Charles Sammut
Sep 16th 2008, 23:23
@ John Schembri
Oh yes, licences on satellite receivers. That has certainly changed our life. How did people manage to get by when they had to pay LM25 annually for a satellite dish.
Any other great achievements by Dr Busuttil which you would care to enlighten me about? Schengen perhaps? But all of African is now effectively in the Schengen zone. Africans do not even need any form of identification to come and stay in Malta. They have become the largest foreign community on the island! All with the EU and the Maltese government's blessing.
Increasing the budget for Frontex will only result in even more illegal immigrants getting dumped on our shores. Anybody still believing in the EU and its bungling and inept agencies, commissions, authorities, committees, parliaments, courts and the rest of its tax gobbling organisations needs to see a shrink.
J. Schembri
Sep 16th 2008, 21:19
@ Charles Sammut : This MEP has been doing sterling work for the past four years, he knows the ropes, he is very consistent and when there was need he even 'corrected' the (PN) government . I recall his stand against licenses on satellite receivers.
We were not fooled , Charles , we got what we bargained for with this hard working MEP.
Charles Sammut
Sep 16th 2008, 18:42
MEP elections are in the offing and Dr Busuttil is blowing his trumpet.
I doubt whether the electorate will be fooled yet again.
Karl Muscat
Sep 16th 2008, 17:00
In my view it will take time to start seeing some concrete results on illegal immigration. Patience should prevail, but the flow from African shores is not likely to diminish unless the problem is not addressed at source. Education is the key.
Financial assistance towards the content from the EU proved not be effective at all. Same happened with FRONTEX, although some minor mitigation of the problem took place, thanks to more patrols over a longer period of time, but it proved to be FAR AWAY from our expectations.
Therefore it is true that the ever increasing flow, is not very likely to be restricted in the short term. So I think, yes, as short - medium term measure, solidarity between EU states would help us. There should be some sort of framework on how to distribute these people. It is definitely not fair for us, Italy and Spain to bear the pressure all ourselves.
I hope this mechanism gets agreed upon and starts delivering results asap!
J.Spiteri
Sep 16th 2008, 16:10
Well spoken Dr Busuttil, go for it, unlike the other MEP's (ie Dr. Joseph Muscat) at least you are speaking our language regarding this issue, the only thing, part of the money for Frontex should be used to repatriate all the illegal immigrants back to their countries (forget Libya). As for the "Asylum Seekers" than we should share our responsibilities and try to help them as much as we can. The Northern countries (England) cannot help us they have similar larger problems than us.
john fenech
Sep 16th 2008, 15:29
Again I applaud Dr. Busuttil’s for his ceaseless efforts to find a solution to our constantly escalating problem. On the other hand quoting MP Thierry Mariana “Frontex Agency does not have sufficient resources to do its work” nor the remit to return the illegal immigrants to the point of departure.
Therefore the money will be put to better use if the EU will put in place the repatriation agreement and persuade our friendly Colonel to accept our guest back to his land!
Denis Catania
Sep 16th 2008, 14:07
This is a good step. But we need to make leaps and bounds on this issue.Before it's too late. You need to expose these northern states that refuse to cooperate. Not just to Europe but the whole world.This is what we will try to do, at the demonstration. Especially the ones in front of the EU office in New York. Please sign the petition http://www.gopetition.com/online/21497.html
T Camilleri
Sep 16th 2008, 13:54
Even though Mr Busuttil’s work towards solving the illegal immigration problem is commendable, and he is certainly the most hard working of all the Maltese MEPs, the solution he is proposing is no solution at all.
If the EU starts accepting everyone who crosses its borders, and starts resettling them in EU states the problem will not diminish but increase exponentially. That will be the day when illegal immigrants start trying to swim to Malta in their frenzy to get into the EU.
The solution for this problem is to discourage these people from attempting the crossing, by sending them back once they get here. This is exactly what Berlusconi tried to negotiate with Colonel Gheddafi during his recent trip to Libya.
I agree with Mr Busuttil that the EU should do its part to help the 4 countries which are mostly hit by this problem but proposing to extend the Frontex effort seems a waste of energy and money. These past 3 months alone 2,300 illegal immigrants landed in Malta which is a 75% increase over the whole of 2007. This makes the Frontex effort pitifully useful.
James Depasquale
Sep 16th 2008, 13:05
I guess Mr. Mario Camilleri has been away from the island for these last four years.
Welcome back!
Andrew Zammit
Sep 16th 2008, 12:59
Great job Simon, however one asks why is it just Simon who has campaigned so hard oon this issue and none of the other MEP's, including David Casa (a fellow PN MEP) and Joseph Muscat have not done anything. My belief is that they were too scared of having public opinion be their judge.
Stephen Zammit
Sep 16th 2008, 12:39
There you go! These are the politicians we need.
Simon Busuttil hit the nail on the head. When Frontex or AFM patrol boats, manage to pick immigrants from the sea, they need to land them somewhere if no repatriation agreement is in place. It is of no use supporting Frontex without having a resettlement mechanism in place.
Simon Busuttil's proposal specifically addresses this loophole. It is of no use throwing money at the problem if Libya will keep its northern boarders unchecked!!! That is the blunt reality that we are currently facing.
I look forward to see both the Government and the Opposition to back Simon Busuttil publicly on this.
Simon, you have my support and of many others.
Randolph Bugeja
Sep 16th 2008, 12:23
Mario Camilleri.. with all due respect I think Simon has been the most hard-working MEP which Malta has had. If the other MEPs did half as much as Simon did then maybe we would have been seeing more results.
The fact that the problem has not been resolved does not mean that nothing has been done. I for one am grateful that Simon has kept pushing for a solution and has been working with MEPs from other countries to try and resolve the issues.
Kevin Demanuele
Sep 16th 2008, 12:21
Well done Simon, pity however your other four collegaues in Brussels are doing nothing. One man on his own cannot resolve the issue. There is need of cross party consensus in this issue as well as co-operation by the other MEP's.
Manuel Bartolo
Sep 16th 2008, 12:21
I agree with M Tabone.
Simon Busuttil is the only pro-active MEP who is proposing actions rather than grumbling about the situation.
Where are MEPs Muscat, Grech and Attardo Montaldo?
Have you ever listened to something concrete from their end?
Well done Simon Busuttil! Keep up the good work!
Joseph Camilleri
Sep 16th 2008, 12:12
I totally agree with M. Tabone. I hope the other MEPs as well as the political parties themselves will put their weight behind this proposal thus increasing its chances of happening.
Well done Simon.. Keep it up!
Mario Camilleri
Sep 16th 2008, 12:10
Come off it Dr Busuttil. You have done nothing in your term as an MEP to resolve this issue. All words and no action. And not just you, the other four stooges in Brussels, including Dr Joseph Muscat, did nothing at all to reslove this issue.
Pierre Agius
Sep 16th 2008, 12:05
We talk the talk but fail to walk the walk! Bullocks!
A Mangion
Sep 16th 2008, 11:20
These are the people that Malta needs as MEP. Facts not words. Keep up the good job Dr Busuttil. You worked days and nights to help us get to the EU and understand its functions and now you are working to make a better Europe for all of us. Where are the MLP MEPs? We only hear Dr Busuttil in the news on his constant good work while the others are just travelling and eating out in Brussels. Thanks Dr Busutill for your hard work. You surely deserve another term in office. Malta applaudes you.
L Galea
Sep 16th 2008, 11:16
Frontex, or rather AFFRONTEX, is a sham EU organization which is contributing to the illegal immigrants invasion of Malta.
We were better without it because less immigrants were coming to Malta. More funds for AFFRONTEX, more illegal immigrants making it to Malta and more of our taxes being spent on them.
Michelle Dali
Sep 16th 2008, 10:53
Dr Busuttil's continued efforts to help Malta deal with the problem of illegal immigration are commendable indeed. However, I am not so sure about his latest proposal of the allocation of an extra €12 million to the border agency, Frontex's, budget for next year in order to make the surveillance patrols a permanent feature. Does this mean that Frontex will be able to spot more boat loads of illegal immigrants and bring even more of them to Malta? How will this solve the problem for the country?
As for the notion that northern European countries are not affected by illegal immigration, you have only got to look at countries like Sweden, who are in a state of crisis and the UK, who repatriate 800 illegal immigrants every day, to realise that no northern European country will ever agree to help Malta. They have enough problems of their own with illegal immigration. The government of Malta must take steps to safeguard Malta as the governments of other EU countries are doing to safeguard their own territories.
M. Tabone
Sep 16th 2008, 09:52
Dr. Simon Busuttil is to be lauded for his efforts to help Malta combat illegal immigration. All the political parties need to be united on this issue because it is affecting us very badly indeed. Malta should also think boycotting certain meetings at EU level to exert more pressure on the EU administrative structures!