MEPs vote on Dublin II changes today

The European Parliament committee on immigration are today expected to see whether the Dublin II convention should be amended, making burden sharing compulsory for EU member states.

Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil told a PN political activity yesterday that the outcome of the vote was of importance to countries such as Malta that faced a huge burden as a result of illegal immigration.

The Dublin II convention was drawn up by the EU in an attempt to streamline asylum requests and ensure that asylum seekers can only claim asylum in one EU state.

Referring to the Malta Union of Teachers' one-day strike in all government and Church schools and at sixth form on Thursday, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this was not the time for industrial action but it was the time to focus on the country's needs.

He called on everyone not to get carried away and to focus on important things.

On Malta's decision not to give in to Italy's pressure to accept the 140 migrants on the MV Pinar, Dr Gonzi said Malta was right because it acted in accordance with international law. "All the eyes of the world were upon Malta but we stood our ground and were proved right," he said.