Migration: AN says many of its proposals adopted by PL
Azzjoni Nazzjonali leader Josie Muscat said today that his party was pleased that the PL had adopted seven of its 10 proposals on illegal migration. Speaking at a press conference in reaction to last week's debate in Parliament, Dr Muscat said AN was the only party which was consistent on illegal immigration.
He said that up to the last election the PL was holding back from admitting the severity of the problem to the point, he said, of admonishing its own MPs who dared to speak the truth on illegal immigration.
Dr Muscat said that while it was true that not all illegal immigrants were responsible for an increase in crime or health risks, the fact remained that they posed a disproportionate risk and featured in a disproportionate manner.
He said that some proposals made by PL leader Joseph Muscat last week served to dilute the action that needed to be taken to solve the problem.
"Policies that include building further reception centres and refurbishing those that have been repeatedly destroyed, not only send out the wrong message but also raise the serious doubt of whether the PL was acting out of political convenience rather than conviction."
He said that last week's debate demonstrated that neither the PL and nor to a larger extent, the PN, understood the fact that for the problem to be solved – Malta needed to send an unequivocal message to the prospective illegal immigrants, the EU and the international community that Malta was full up and that it did not pay to get here.
He also harshly criticized Medecins sans frontieres – and said that their behaviour was proof that many of these NGOs are not apolitical organizations but rather unrepresentative bodies with a political agenda. Their press conference announcing that they were pulling out was timed to cause maximum damage.
Dr. Muscat insisted that the maximum sentence for human trafficking of five years was an insult to justice and exactly the wrong message to send. He said AN has proposing the automatic penalty of lifetime imprisonment and the confiscation of assets for those who choose to deal in this despicable business.
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John Borg
Mar 23rd 2009, 19:18
Dear Josie Muscat: it's called jumping on the bandwagon.
Charles Sammut
Mar 23rd 2009, 17:38
@ P Debono Why do you hate it when someone tells it like it really is? I know, you now realise that you have been lied to all along by PN/PL about this matter. @ Michael Cutajar The PL MEPs voted in favour of extending the right to vote in national and European elections to immigrants who have been resident in the EU for more than 5 years. That would include half the illegal immigrants who reach any EU country, including Malta. I say half, because that is roughly the fraction that is granted some form of status thus legitimizing their stay here. I cannot imagine an AN MEP doing something so ridiculous.
Jeff Inguanez
Mar 23rd 2009, 17:33
Now that makes Joseph Muscat precisely the opposite of moderate and progressive!
S Cassar
Mar 23rd 2009, 16:03
NOW THAT IS SCARY! JOSIE U JOSEPH JAHSBUHA L-ISTESS
Michael Cutajar
Mar 23rd 2009, 15:55
in a nutshell, Josie muscat is urging us to vote for the Partit Laburista next June. It is evident that his party will never elect an MEP and thus, for the proposals to be implemented, we will vote for the PL MEPs. Thank you
P Debono
Mar 23rd 2009, 15:51
I hate to say this but Dr. Muscat is right in every single point in this article.