CNI president laments about public apathy

Malta needs to adopt a zero-tolerance attitude and stem illegal immigration by stopping all foreigners from coming in without a permit, the president of Campaign for National Independence, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, said yesterday.

He said national interest requires the government to send back out anyone who comes into the country without a permit. Moreover, those who withhold personal information should be jailed and retained in prison until they collaborate.

The former Labour Prime Minister described both the Frontex patrols and burden sharing as measures that encourage illegal immigration without the government realising it. He criticised the apathy demonstrated by the public in front of the problem.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said Frontex was bringing illegal migrants to Malta's shores rather than keeping them away. In addition, the EU burden-sharing agreement signed on Thursday would give migrants more hope of remaining in Europe.

He said that if the EU needs immigrants to make up for dwindling birth rates, it should launch schemes to regulate the influx.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici accused Maltese parliamentarians of betraying the national interest by not taking measures to protect the country. "We should call on MPs and insist that they take decisive and concrete steps to stop people from coming in illegally," he insisted.