Nestor Laiviera
Migration pact will embarrass uncooperative EU states - PN
The Immigration and Asylum Pact due to be signed by EU leaders this week will put uncooperative member states in an awkward position, Acting Prime Minister Tonio Borg said yesterday.
Speaking at a party activity in Msida, Dr Borg said the pact meant that Malta will no longer be alone knocking on doors asking member states to share its burden. Moreover, Malta would also have the European Commission assisting it in applying pressure on member states to take up the voluntary scheme.
Dr Borg said the pact was "a good one" because it dealt not only with the integration of refugees and immigrants in member states but also with the prevention of immigration and how Europe can unite in sending back those who had no right to remain in the EU.
The pact also dealt with increased funding for EU countries to better patrol their borders.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mario de Marco said the rising price of oil would be affecting Malta quite negatively.
It is estimated that airlines could cut the number of seats to Malta by up to 30,000 in the near future.
The aspect of the international recession, he said, was also considerably worrying as it was impacting countries that were the primary markets for Maltese tourism.
The government, along with the Malta Tourism Authority, would be focusing on opening new routes to Malta, keeping in mind which flights were viable in terms of distance.
He explained that over €180 million in EU funds will be invested into bolstering tourism projects and €10 million would be allocated to assisting private industry with sustainable tourism initiatives.
Also, he added, a fund of over €40 million will be used to develop innovation in tourism.
15 Comments
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Joseph W. Galea
Oct 14th 2008, 08:35
Well, the key word here is VOLUNTARY SCHEME.
Meaning that, Malta will only be able to send the immigrants to other countries if the other countries accept the shipment before it is shipped. And I very much doubt if UNCOOPERATIVE STATES will be embarrased for not accepting said shipment.
Meaning that Malta could be stuck with all those who land or are brought to it's shores forever and a day, or until Malta's demoghraphics change to such an extent, that it would not matter anymore.
Lawrence Martinelli
Oct 14th 2008, 05:31
@ Michelle Dali :
What you have said sounds like music to my ears......Gospel truth !
Except one point.......Malta too , like Greece , DOES have a dispersing island.......Filfla !!!
Robert Cassar
Oct 14th 2008, 03:41
I am embarrassed for voting PN. Sorry to say but you politicians are letting your own people down.
Nigel Lawrence
Oct 13th 2008, 19:47
So, they arrive in Malta ILLEGALLY right, so other countries (maybe) accepting them, legitimises their position? what a farce.
Denis Catania
Oct 13th 2008, 18:08
I hope you are right Minister Tonio borg. If members states don't start taking illegals back by Nov 15th 2008 at a rapid pace, protests will start in New York City, embarassing the northern states and Malta. We will be asking Al Sharpton's office for help in protesting Malta and the northern states.
Guze Xerri
Oct 13th 2008, 17:01
The only people it will embarrass is future generations of native Maltese when reading what their ancestor leaders have done to them.
Noel Enriquez
Oct 13th 2008, 16:22
I share the exact same concern viewed by Dr. Cutajar,
What amazes me is the rigid stance of bullheadedness in this issue manifested by the government. The overwhelming majority of the Maltese urge the government not to vote this pact since we need more concrete and binding agreements, then in the most stubborn and rude manner our fellow politicians are taking us for a ride of a lifetime- or so they think! The public is not stupid! Their position should be to dig in, have it our way or no EU legislation or agreement would be signed by Malta. It is only then where we could have a chance of being heard, it is then where an embarrassment of uncooperative EU states will occur, forcing Brussels to look closer to the matter! But our dear government is quite unwilling of making such a move, so I prefer reading such articles with a pinch of salt and treating them as a joke!
Noel Cutajar
Oct 13th 2008, 14:21
I can see Germany and France feeling so ashamed that they have not taken any immigrants to Malta that they would like to compensate the EU and ask forgiveness. The EU is governed by the big three France, Germany and UK...would they feel embarrassed? Another joke from the Kingdom of the Brussels Sprouts and we already shouting cry wolf!! Malta will be embarrassed by this pact and no one else...every EU country will say who share my burden...I have mine you have yours and that is burden sharing...maybe they take the few each year as a gesture (not more than 20!!) of goodwill but nothing else. If they want us to have EU funds, this will not solve the problem, it will only make us more prone to the influx of illegal immigration. EU in this case is not offering any solutions but rather protecting the North where these supposed economic migrants are hoping to go...let us hope they go.
David Seychell
Oct 13th 2008, 13:28
"The Immigration and Asylum Pact due to be signed by EU leaders this week will put uncooperative member states in an awkward position"
That might be true but only if the uncooperative member states are in a small minority, and that is very unlikely to happen.
STEPHEN FARRUGIA
Oct 13th 2008, 13:22
This government is tough with bus drivers and weak in every aspect of true politics. This is a Socialist government, with a Socialist dogma. Malta is stuck with Socialism because both parties are Socialist. They want immigrants,end of story and they sign a pact to bring over their families. Now that is politics for you!
deb bugeja
Oct 13th 2008, 13:10
Does the government think that Italy, Greece, Spain, France or england are going to relieve us from these illegal immigrants when they themselves has this problem and can t control them. we should take a stand and do like Australia did.We should say no more.
Michelle Dali
Oct 13th 2008, 11:15
The government is trying to hoodwink the public into thinking that Malta stands to gain something out of this immigration pact. The fact is, the other EU countries could have shared the burden without this pact, but they didn't. The burden sharing is only voluntary and therefore means nothing.
Malta's situation is unique in that it is a very small country and has nowhere to send the thousands of illegal immigrants arriving every year unlike other countries, for example, the Canary Islands send them to Spain, Lampedusa sends them to Italy, Greece has 6000 islands in which to keep them.
In my opinion, the government must not sign the pact until Malta's situation is recognised by the EU and legislation is put in place to protect the country from this illegal invasion. The only real protection Malta has at the moment is the winter weather which gives the criminals behind this human trafficking a chance to enjoy the fruits of their lucrative business which seems to go on every summer completely unhindered. This is a riduculous and unacceptable situation.
Government of Malta, stand up and fight for the interests of your country and its citizens!
l Galea
Oct 13th 2008, 10:37
Signing a Chamberlain paper means and gets you and us absolutely nothing
C. Borg
Oct 13th 2008, 10:07
Just because Malta's problem is bigger, it doesn't mean that other countries don't have problems with immigrants.
Starting from our neighbours Italy ... then Spain, France, Greece etc etc .... they signed because they are hoping to get rid of some of their immigrants.
The eastern countries haved less of a problem with immigration ... but I don't imagine Bulgaria and Romania getting red in the face, especially when they are the source of problems in other countries.
Marvin Mizzi
Oct 13th 2008, 09:55
Shame -- the pact of Shame -- be serious and do not sign as it gives nothing to Malta. By signing this pact our government is saying to all of EU how weak it is!!!