Mark Micallef
Burden sharing deal possible next year
Reaction was 'very positive'
A pilot project putting into practice the burden-sharing agreement for immigration that the government has been fighting for could be in place next year, EU Justice Com-missioner Jacques Barrot said yesterday.
Mr Barrot said he expected the asylum agency, which the EU 27 agreed to set up last month, to come up with a resettlement programme through which asylum seekers could be absorbed by other member states.
"After some amount of time, hopefully not too long, I expect to see a relocation programme," he said. When asked for a specific timeframe, he said he expected the programme to be in place by the end of the year and a pilot project in 2010.
"I don't see how else we can proceed. Malta cannot keep taking more migrants without facing insurmountable problems," he said at a news conference which followed a packed day in which he came face-to-face with migrants both in detention and at an open centre.
"I make a solemn appeal to all the member states to put solidarity into practice," he said at the news conference, highlighting the unexpected high number of migrant arrivals in the winter months.
Earlier, during a meeting with the parliamentary Foreign and European Affairs Committee, he pledged to involve the EU in more negotiations with countries where immigrants leave from or pass through, especially Libya.
He was also in agreement with a suggestion made by the committee's chairman, Michael Frendo, that the EU's development aid to countries of origin should start being tied with their co-operation on repatriation.
If put in place, the pressure on African states receiving development aid, could solve the problem of repatriation, one of the hardest nuts to crack. Repatriation to places like Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo, where red tape and lack of co-operation is rife, is rare and difficult.
Mr Barrot was less specific on Libya, though said he would take action to ensure immigration was higher on the agenda in EU negotiations with the north African state.
"It is not possible for Libya to keep allowing rickety boats which leave its shores and then capsize, calling Malta for assistance."
At the Ħal Far detention centre, where conditions were severely criticised by aid agency Medecins Sans Frontiéres last Friday, Mr Barrot came face-to-face with the plight of the migrants held there.
They were expecting his visit, and some prepared some banners against detention. 'We have no life in Malta. No proper shelter,' one banner read.
When the entourage accompanying Mr Barrot entered the tent compound, some immigrants went into a frenzy. But a few representatives managed to speak to the Commissioner directly.
A west African migrant spoke to him about the mental stress on detainees who often waited months for asylum applications to be processed. The situation, especially in winter, was dire for those living in tents, he said.
His testimony echoed that given by MSF which announced it could not continue providing medical services in detention centres because of the conditions.
On this point, Mr Barrot, said the conditions in the closed centres need improvement, but he did not go further. However, he pledged to make more funds available to Malta over the money already allocated, specifically for the centres to be improved. Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici appeared confident that Malta was drawing closer to an agreement on burden sharing.
This time, things were different, he said, because the European Asylum Pact agreed upon last year, which spawned the upcoming agency, provided a framework to achieve that deal.
The pact speaks of transferring refugees from border states throughout the EU. However, that clause remains a voluntary affair.
Moreover, he stressed that the Commissioner was in tune with the situation. "I am very positive about the Commissioner's reaction following the visit... it's better that I expected. We showed him round and took him to the worst places, because we believe honesty is the best policy and he has really grasped the difficulties we are facing," he said.
The point, in fact, was also hammered home by the parliamentarians on the Foreign and European Affairs Committee.
They highlighted the fact that the situation is fuelling unprecedented levels of xenophobia, which are rooted in frustration against the EU's inaction over the matter. MEP Simon Busuttil said the frustration was driven by a mix of fear of a "silent invasion" and anger that Malta has been let down by the EU on this issue. Labour MP Leo Brincat even suggested the EU could lose credibility among the Maltese over the matter.
The Commissioner said he understood the situation, including people's reported fears of invasion, but warned parliamentarians not to be too pessimistic.
He said the asylum pact offered a real possibility of progress in the months ahead.
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Joe Xuereb (London UK)
Mar 16th 2009, 22:57
No the Maltese are not being racist. Some may be but that is another issue. The Maltese are merely reacting to an insidious situation that is not of their making. They are justifiably angry and feel helpless. This can come across as racism but it is not. They are trying to survive like the illegal immigrants are trying to survive. But the Maltese are bearing the burden. Insidious.
In administering First Aid the rule of thumb is 'Give assistance but do not endanger self'. This is common sense. One corpse is bad. Two is twice as bad. The worst scenario is when an individual, through foolishness or illegal acts, ends up needing succour. The First Aider does his duty but ends up a corpse. The person who created the situation, through some foolhardy act, criminal intent, deviousness, somehow survives. I can not imagine a worse situation. The moral is of course - help as is your duty but only as far as it is appropriate. As a Fiirst Aider, you are no use as a corpse. And you are not racist. You just happen to have your head screwed on the right way.
D Spiteri
Mar 15th 2009, 17:35
ANSA) - MALTA, 14 MAR - 'L'attitudine dei maltesi verso gli immigrati e' piuttosto razzista e questo deve cambiare', ha detto il commissario Ue Jacques Barrot. Al termine della sua missione, durante la quale ha visitato i centri di accoglienza sull'isola, Barrot ha sottolineato la necessita' di un impegno dell'Europa per una politica di sostegno a favore di paesi come Malta e l'Italia che sono in prima Is it an act of racism when one country is being invaded with invaders asking for free education and free healthcare? When this whole free thing is being Threatened .. Free ? we have been paying taxes for a lifetime. We pay VAT on car registration to get free healthcare
D Spiteri
Mar 15th 2009, 17:24
Is this a joke? after a buzy summer? are we kidding? Till next year u ejja OK Then we have to tell EU that we do not trust EU and we should not vote in the next EU elections
John Azzopardi
Mar 15th 2009, 17:08
Talk from EU politicians from outside Malta seems to be very cheap these days. It's a real shame how little faith we have in them. Next year. Then next year will become next, next next. Enough already. Malta must start acting on it's own on this issue the same way the Italians, Spanish, Dutch, Greeks, have been doing. At the end of the day, It's all up to us really, because when the problems will fester more than they are now, no one of our EU partners will lift a finger.
g.c.Forte
Mar 15th 2009, 16:12
BURDEN SHARING ? Am I mistaken by saying that when it comes to burden sharing,the European countries will take so much legal migrants from us and we have to take from theirs.(sharing) I mean for every one from Africa. we will have one from, let say... all those counties ex U.S.S.R , ex Yugoslavia and from the far east that they are entering all over Europe. So, if that so, it is only the color that we are going to change.
Ivan Attard
Mar 15th 2009, 14:33
Australia intercepted and detained 54 asylum seekers arriving by boat off its north coast, its home affairs minister said on Sunday.
The 54 people, who were mainly Afghan, were to be taken to Australia's Indian Ocean outpost of Christmas Island, Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus was quoted by Australian Associated Press as saying.
Most of the people onboard were men. There were no children in the group, he said.
The boat was stopped late on Saturday near the northern city of Darwin and is the second bringing would-be asylum seekers to be stopped in Australian waters this year.
"The Australian government is committed to strong border security arrangements and is determined to deal effectively and appropriately with people smugglers," Debus said.
Australia has maintained its policy of mandatory detention of boat people.
THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW MR. BARROT!!!!!
Ivan Attard
Mar 15th 2009, 14:32
Wasn't the agreement on burden sharing reached LAST YEAR and trumpeted by Gonzipn as a major victory for European solidarity?????
Why 'may' it be implemented NEXT YEAR Barrot?
I wonder how you have not been shown the back door to your flight back to France immediately!
Ronnie Gauci
Mar 15th 2009, 14:29
Burden sharing will be our biggest mistake as it will transform Malta into a bridge to Europe and many will change their destination from Lampedusa to Malta. Just turn them back to Libya mid-sea and once in Libyan waters inform their authorities to come pick them up.
Then what right do they have to reside in Europe anyway??? Are we crazy? Do we really want to transform Europe into another Africa in a couple of decades time? I thaught that Africa was the World's second largest continent.
Franco Xuereb
Mar 15th 2009, 14:23
Mr. Barrot words come easily. And from words to facts there's a big differences, thus personally I can not see other EU members excepting the burden sharing then again by taking the odd twenty illegal immigrants is not enough.
Although an agreement on burden sharing has been reached and thus signed by all EU members, albeit on a voluntary basis? Personally I could not see this program working.
Let alone that as I have stated previously by applying this burden sharing or even better offering the illegal immigrants who entered our shores illegally € 5,000 to go back is just encourage more to come.
Fellow citizens do not put your hopes up, as you will be disappointed, in the mean time come this June to elect MEP's Do as I shall be doing by not voting as I believe that our National Interest ALWAYS comes first.
Dr. John Zammit
Mar 15th 2009, 14:02
When the Albanians invaded Malta we helped them, kept them on their ship and sent them back. That is what we should do and if I am elected in the coming election for the European Parliament I will use my influence and the money I earn to rent a ship and put them on it and send them back to Libya from where they came. - Dr. John Zammit - Leader and candidate for the Alleanza Liberali - www.freewebs.com/liberal alliance
Tony Caruana
Mar 15th 2009, 14:01
Talk Talk and More Talk from the EU. Noting but Talk. And then it;s empolyees come in Private Planes !!!
Joe Fenech
Mar 15th 2009, 13:44
Say NO to burden sharing!
Send those who break the law back. These are illegal immigrant. Be selective in imigration like Australia, USA and Canada!!!
Denis Catania
Mar 15th 2009, 13:23
The Commissioner said he understood the situation, including people's reported fears of invasion.
Thank you. Now lets not wait till next year.
K.R.Scerri
Mar 15th 2009, 13:11
Barrot accuses Malta of being 'Racist'
http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/malta104.html
Please have a look at this link.
Bernard Mallia
Mar 15th 2009, 13:01
For how long are we going to keep hearing the same talk? Isn't it time to act - NOW, this month, this day. Or are we just being taken for another ride as we have been for the past 4 years?
We no longer want to be a buffer zone for the EU. It is time that the EU takes care of its own sh**.
Muscat.Pat
Mar 15th 2009, 12:46
Joseph Muscat gave Gonzi a push when he declared that Malta cannot accept irregular or illegal immigrants by their millions. PL spokesmen Bricat and Vella did the same. This means that the Opposition is a serious one, and that when national interests are at stake, it does not try to score partisan political points. Hopefully, the Minister Carmelo Bonnici, would take the opportunity to double and trebble his energy in making sure that Barrot's words unless followed by action, are simply discarded and that Malta will take care of its own interests and survival, by opting out of International Regulations concerning "exceptional and rare survival at sea"
Brian Maloret
Mar 15th 2009, 11:50
And when next year is here it will then be the next yeay; in other words, never.
Michelle Dali
Mar 15th 2009, 10:39
Quote: "Malta cannot keep taking more migrants without facing INSURMOUNTABLE problems," unquote. This was stated by the EU Justice Commissioner himself.
This is exactly what concerned Maltese citizens have been saying for a long time. Time and time again, we were labelled racist and xenophobic for stating this fact. Now it seems the powers that be are confirming that we were right all along. (Dr Gonzi, please take note)
Dr Mifsud Bonnici should now make it very clear that Malta is not in a position to accept any more illegal immigrants into our tiny, overpopulated country. The government of Malta must put its foot down and REFUSE ENTRY to anymore boatloads. They must be taken to another EU country - the other 26 member states are far bigger than Malta and could easily accomodate them.
In the meantime, we should concentrate on giving proper assistance to people who are GENUINE refugees, whilst hastening the repatriation of those not eligible for refugee status. This should ease the overcrowding in the detention centres, enabling the government to humanely house the illegal immigrants who are awaiting the outcome of their claims for asylum.
John Portelli
Mar 15th 2009, 10:29
Burden sharing deal possible next year'' Whow what about THIS YEAR?
Joanne Micallef
Mar 15th 2009, 10:18
Empty words no more no less, in the mean time the Maltese will use their vote wisely come this June to elect MEP's that without a doubt will towards factually solving this problem as they believe that our National Interest ALWAYS comes first.
James Brincat
Mar 15th 2009, 10:01
Next year?? Why not immediately? Pathetic.
P Debono
Mar 15th 2009, 09:59
Three words for Mr. Barrot: WORDS ARE CHEAP!
L..Galea
Mar 15th 2009, 09:54
Weren't the people led to believe that agreement on burden sharing had been reached, albeit on a voluntary basis?
What we want is not burden sharing, but either they take all illegal immigrats or else an expulsion programme to be implemented forthwith.