Azzjoni Nazzjonali leader Josie Muscat this morning urged the Prime Minister not to sign the EU Immigration Pact next Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference, Dr Muscat said that since the burden-sharing provisions of the pact were voluntary, this pact would be about as successful as Frontex, which, he said, had failed dismally and had actually served to attract migrants to Malta.

Dr Muscat also hit out strongly against the MLP, saying that while Joseph Muscat said that Dr Gonzi should not sign the pact, George Vella, speaking in Parliament last week, said the MLP was four-square with the government on immigration.

The AN leader said immigration could potentially be a disaster for Malta in view of the huge numbers of migrants who were arriving. It was significant, he said, that when AN was the first to raise the alarm, its officials were labelled as racists and the problem was hidden. But the truth was now emerging and all parties were changing their positions.

He warned that the problem could become much more serious if the families of refugees were allowed to join them in Malta.

Dr Muscat said AN would hold a protest against the Immigration Pact on Thursday and it was urging racists not to attend.

Asked what he would have done if he was Prime Minister, Dr Muscat said he would have taken Malta out of the Dublin II Convention - which delineates Malta's search and rescue region. Migrants, he said, should only be allowed in Malta for a month, after which they should either be repatriated, sent to other EU countries, or put on seaworthy and provisioned vessels and allowed to go on their way.