Updated: Migration tops Justice Minister's talks with EU Commissioner

Illegal immigration topped talks held this afternoon in Brussels between Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici and EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot.

The talks were held a day before crucial talks on an Immigration Pact proposed by France which Malta has said it will block until it makes reference to burden sharing.

Informed sources said M. Barrot renewed the European Commission’s position supporting Malta.

Talks on the same subject were also held today between the permanent representatives of all the EU member states.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry said Foreign Ministry Tonio Borg, currently in New York for the UN General Assembly, discussed migration with with several counterpart ministers. The ministry also said that between September 9 and 11, Paul Radmilli, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of Malta's Nordic regional Embassy in Copenhagen held a series of meetings in Helsinki to raise issues related to the disproportionate burden Malta is facing in dealing with irregular migration.

Talks dealt with identifying bilateral cooperation on the matter, as well as Malta's proposed amendments to the French Presidency's draft European Pact on Migration and Asylum. Mr Radmilli met high ranking Finnish officials from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Immigration Police, the Coast Guard and various others. During an event hosted by the French Embassy in Helsinki, Mr Radmilli raised the issue with Astrid Thors, Minister for Migration and European Affairs.