Tuesday, 30th September 2008 - 16:51CET

German minister promises to back Malta on immigration

The German Minister of State for Europe, Gunter Closer, has pledged his country’s support to Malta on illegal immigration at bilateral and European Union levels, the government said this afternoon.

“The smallest EU Member State cannot be left on its own when facing such considerable challenges,” the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs quoted the German minister as saying during a meeting he had minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici.

Mr Closer ended a short visit to Malta this afternoon after his meeting with Dr Mifsud Bonnici and an earlier meeting with Foreign Minister Tonio Borg (see separate story).

The ministry said the German minister had declared he was now able to truly appreciate the scale of the problem that Malta is facing.

Migration, with particular reference to the burden-sharing mechanism in the new EU Immigration Pact, dominated the meeting with Dr Mifsud Bonnici.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici explained that a record number of irregular immigrants had arrived in Malta so far this year, mostly coming from Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan.

“This means that we are already in a position to predict that in view of such countries of origin there will be a higher proportion of asylum seekers being granted refugee or temporary humanitarian protection – both of which are considered to be forms of international protection which is referred to in the Pact on Immigration and Asylum,” Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

Information given to Parliament yesterday shows that Malta granted protection status to 1,097 migrants this year up to September 18, compared to 627 for the whole of last year.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 8, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

STEPHEN FARRUGIA (on 30/9/08)

Forget everything. Don't sign the pact, use the veto.End of story. Then all Europe will come for a free meal and BE turned into beggers for you to sign. Dear Gonzi.....do it, don't be scared and gain everyones respect.

Enzo Caruana (on 30/9/08)

There was another German called Gunther -surname Verheugen- who promised that Malta's security was guaranteed once we became mebers of the EU. I remeber him saying that we will never be left like reeds in the wind. Let's hope that this Gunther delivers more on his promises

Clayton Saliba (on 30/9/08)

Sorry dear Goverment Cikku il poplu stopped believing in Santa Claus....and is questioning what your intentions really are reagrding illegal immigration

Joe Camenzuli (on 30/9/08)

Who mentioned Frontex? What a waste of money and time. Irrespective of what the Minister say; FRONTEX has been and still is a failure.
Rather than sending these so called illegals back to their point of departure, they assist them to make a speedy arrival to our shores.

george sinagra (on 30/9/08)

groveling will get Dr.Carm Mifsud Bonnici nowhere.

Daniel Bonello (on 30/9/08)

This pact is a farce. The Government is a farce & the EU is the farcest of them all.

Do you now still praise the EU as you did 5 years ago? Do you now still wave the EU flag during meetings? Cause if you do I say that the Maltese population is a bootlicker of any foreigner be it legal or illegal!

When will the Maltese wake up and start organising peaceful protests in Valletta or even at Mara & hal far if you have the guts!

You stay on your stool commenting but never do anything and when the time comes the same wrong old government gets elected once again! The EU will not help us, the maltese people need to stand up for our own rights!

Charles J Buttigieg (on 30/9/08)

Promises promises promises. Mur hudu bis-serjeta lill Gunter. At any rate we have CMB TO CONTROL THE SITUATION AND HE'S DOING JUST FINE. he he he he.......sorry cause its not funny anymore. Perhaps Gonzi should allow his friend J Dalli to give it a shot or perhaps Austin Gatt. However JPO will definetely find a way to swindle it,he had already proved his worth.

schmidt otto (on 30/9/08)

I am surprised how negative Maltese people are! Or perhaps most of you did not read or understand the article properly!

C. Abela (on 30/9/08)

@D Fenech
The problem is that once this agreement is signed there seems to be no way through which we are assured that other EU countries will in affect take immigrants to their countries, cause its on a voluntary basis. Why, I ask, doesn't gov. think ahead and rest its mind and ours by making sure that this clause is changed before signing? Doesn't gov have the mental capability to foresee that this is a trap, which everyone seems to know about, but nevertheless he keeps ignoring all warnings...? Il qazba ma ccaqcaqx ghal xejn Wenz

a.cassar (on 30/9/08)

Let's give Herr Closer a chance guys. and Charles Micallef what does the rebuilding of the opera house have to do with the illegal migrant problem?
I galea don't be ridiculous! you know things are not done like that.

Lawqrence Martinelli (on 30/9/08)

Mr. Galea.....have a heart !
Mr. Closer came , saw , realized , gave his blessings and......flew away !!!!
What more does Malta want ?.....He will now report the problem to Bruxelles.
Bruxelles will re-unite , will debate , will consult , will have a break for coffee,
will re-enter the big dust bin , will raise hands , will promise, oh yes, will promise !
Simple no ? ......Maltese are just grumblers.
A more serious problem will be debated......Can Malta still keep making Pastizzi with
split peas ? ( horrible old British Navy invention !).
The German will reccomend sauer kraut instead , the French paté , the Italians mozarella,
......& so on. Why grumble?....after all Malta is now in the EuroLand Premier League.

John Borg (on 30/9/08)

It's quite amusing to see a total lack of posts from the "pro-refugees" brigade"! Finally, we, the people who have been showing alarm and concern, are no longer racists for harbouring such views. I will repeat once more, I am in favour of assisting less fortunate people as some of them may be, but only on condition that the business of illegal dumping of any Tom Dick and Harry onto our doorsteps is halted immediately. It seems that now that other politicians have voiced concern, the government has been spurned into action, albeit being late. I have grave doubts that the burden sharing will work, especially due to the fact that only recognised refugees will be considered. What do we do with the other 95 out of every 100??
If they are not recognised, they have to be sent back on the same merits that we have to "rescue" them in the first place. The German minister probably flew in on a private jet, so he could have utilised the empty seats and taken a few back with him, a true example of solidarity!

D Fenech (on 30/9/08)

We believe when he delivers!!!!

d. borg (on 30/9/08)

So, 1097 have already been given protection status this year. And who's protecting us from this invasion? when we ask for protection from our own government we are called racists. Tajba din!!

P Debono (on 30/9/08)

I suggest Mr. Closer puts his money where his mouth is and takes back a couple of thousand illegals to his own country.

What a farce.

louis Sinagra (on 30/9/08)

Hon Carm are they going to rid us of all of them now that as you say they understand our problem .

l Galea (on 30/9/08)

How many did Mr Closer take back with him to Germany to be closer to the burden sharing pact?

Charles Micallef (on 30/9/08)

Did he happen to mention the Opera House rebuilding programme?

louise vella (on 30/9/08)

Did Dr Mifsud Bonnici ask the German minister for help with

a. strengthening Frontex

b. repatriation of illegal immigrants not having any rights?

Or maybe these objectives are not supported by NGOs?

German minister promises to back Malta on immigration

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