Malta protests with Italy over migrants

Louis Busuttil

May 3rd 2009, 18:05

Yes, I do read the news Mario Cortis. The Times reported that "The communication asks Italy to accept the immigrants."
Under the terms of the agreement signed by the current Maltese government, the Italian government are perfectly within their legal rights to say, very diplomaticaly, "No thank you, we do not want these migrants". And then what are you going to do Mario Cortis? Stamp your foot and say "It's not fair, Lampedusa is a safe port so you should accept them"?
As an apologist for the current government Mario Cortis, you are conveniently forgetting that it is the current Maltese government who signed this "voluntary" treaty and got us into this mess.

Mario Cortis

May 3rd 2009, 17:43

Nice to show that your read the news Louis Busuttil. Again as Barrot said, those 66 immigrants have to be sent to Lampedusa. Now if we want this to happen we need to fight it the EU parliament with the right people, not someone preferring to launch the campaign in an important vote ragarding Illegal Immigration or someone who prefers to go cruises and watch horse races in various countries instead of attending in the EU Parliament.......

Louis Busuttil

May 3rd 2009, 16:35

Mario Cortis has a touching faith in diplomacy. The reality is that Maltese sailors will not knowingly leave people to die at sea. And when they do rescue people, where does Mario Cortis suggest they bring them? If the nearest port is owned by a country which does not want to accept the migrants, then there is no way that the country concerned may be forced to accept them. To rely on diplomatic language - eg strongly worded statements - is pathetic. The Italian Ambassador to Malta has shown us what sort of diplomatic response we might get. Have a nice feast Mario Cortis.

Alexander Galea

May 3rd 2009, 13:23

If Mr.Trabalza cannot answer to questions, then he should just go back to Berlusconi and tell him that he is 'persona non grata' in Malta. So now Lampedusa is no longer a safe port, bunch of ridiculous liars. Today there were no articles on the incident on the Italian newspapers, no lies about Malta. Hope this incident does not end here.

Mario Cortis

May 3rd 2009, 12:29

You are too wrong Louis Busuttil. The distressed immigrants are to be taken to the nearest port not as stated by you. The burden sharing pact is at the moment voluntary but note that that everything takes place step at a time not as many of you think..... Also the pact that they signed does does not reflect that all immigrants spotted at sea are to be taken to Malta.. All you said is totally BULL!!! Please be informed before you speak.... Hopefully we have a government who can arrive to an agreement with other EU countries in a diplomatic manner instead of utilizing the VETO!!! If we start using the VETO as suggested Joseph Muscat then we will only have other countries utilizing the VETO against issues raised by our MEPs!!!

Louis Busuttil

May 3rd 2009, 11:13

The current Maltese government has signed a pact with the EU that does not oblige other member states to share in our country's burden of irregular immigration. It is all done on a case-by-case, voluntary basis. Big mistake. Guess what - whenever Maltese sailors find distressed people at sea they will have to bring them home to Malta, even if they are closer to a port from another EU state (eg Lampedusa). The Italians will just say no. And they will continue to just say no. It is the current Maltese government that have landed us in this predicament.

Meanwhile, our Italian neighbours are laughing at us. The Italian Ambassador to Malta, Paolo Andrea Trabalza, mocks us with his "Have a nice feast" comment.

Denis Catania

May 2nd 2009, 20:49

Maltese need to demonstrate in front of the Italian Embassy in Ta'Biex

Joe Fenech

May 2nd 2009, 18:00

Malta: you're so strong!

J Brincat

May 2nd 2009, 08:52

Words, words, words nothing but empty words!

Will the Goverment , after the burden sharing fiasco, now enlighten us as to what is the way forward so that we could all put our minds at rest?

C. Camilleri

May 2nd 2009, 05:03

I only see one way how to deal with this. ALL IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE PROVIDED RIGHT AWAY WITH A MALTESE PASSPORT! why? these ppl dont want to stay here, so they will all go to europe legally! they the EU will find a way to stop them from coming here dont you worry

Joseph Borg

May 2nd 2009, 01:42

Immigration is now out f control and Gonzi's poor handling of the issue is now really starting to show.

albert muscat

May 2nd 2009, 01:27

Yes Libya can help.

@philip pace (51 minutes ago)
‘ seek very close coperation with Libya, make and help Libya to catch all those racketeers and this navy task force has to be provided by those nations who invaded and colonalized the African countries.’


It was reported last week in this news papers that, Israel Minister Mr. Lieberman favors redrawing Israel's border to exclude most of the country's Arab population.
I think Libya is using Malta to pressure the EU. So the latter press Israel to accept a two state solution, ends occupation so the Palestinians will eventually regain their long-lost country. Only then Libya would stop the influx of illegal immigrants to Europe.

Please have a look at my comment here:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090418/opinion/is-it-a-case-of-human-pawns

Graham Crocker

May 2nd 2009, 00:40

Lets show these Italians how humanitarian we are, by giving them Full Maltese citizenship (i.e. EU).
We all know the deal, everybody knows that these illegal immigrants paid to go to Italy and Not Malta. We all know, that once given permission to go anywhere in the EU, they aren't going to look back.The problem is Italy's and I don't see how we're expected to solve their problems... qeghdin sew ta mela it-taljani kapaci biss ghal-kant u sfin?

Frans Sammut

May 1st 2009, 23:51

Mr Grima is 100% right. I really don't know what is keeping Government from acting in the way he is suggesting! In the meantime I propose that Mgr Cremona, rather than smugly confront us with the preposterous analogy involving St Paul's coming to Malta, should ask his superiors at the Vatican to act like MEN (and not like females, as per Machiavelli's definition) at least this once and persuade Berlusca (who doubtlessly lends an ear to their behind-the-scenes pleas) to desist from playing tricks with our Island State. Yes, I am saying this in anger, because the Church is always ready to be strong with the weak (in this case, the citizens of tiny Malta) and weak with the strong (the Quirinale). And that puerile comparison between human trafficking and the Pauline advent to Malta has left me absolutely disgusted. Once again: does Mgr Cremona take us for a bunch of idiots or what? Was it Fr Joe Borg who gave him the idea or Mgr Philip Calleja who should know better?

Maria Ellul

May 1st 2009, 22:22

Very disappointed to see that Malta has given in to the big bully....wrong approach....this move has simply shown that we were not convinced of our actions the first time round and the rest is BS....

Louis Grima

May 1st 2009, 22:10

During the Pinar's incident I commented as follows: " So according to Mr.Maroni's arguments, from now on, even boatloads of illegal immigrants that are practically within sight of Lampedusa's shoreline should be despatched to Malta".One did not have to be a future teller to see this was forthcoming, given who we are dealing with here...and that is what will keep happening (with all the relevant implications for the maltese economy)...unless, that is, some sort of firm action is ' finally ' taken in this regard.

j.spiteri

May 1st 2009, 21:48

Malta has only one (1) hope left in this fiasco......to use the VETO in the EU parliament.

j.spiteri

May 1st 2009, 21:43

Italy is no better than Libya.

L. Gauci

May 1st 2009, 21:17

No matter how much Malta protests, the country is now lumped with another 66 illegal immigrants. If the PM thinks that Italy will accept to take them, he is very much mistaken. After the successful conclusion of the Pinar incident, the government should have continued to hold firm. We are told that the AFM were told to bring them in for humanitarian considerations, because one woman was severely dehydrated. Could this woman not have been airlifted, treated and then put back in the boat. This episode is going to put Malta back in the same situation it was in before the Pinar incident. Not only will Italy refuse to take back future immigrants, if it gets away with this, but more illegals will be encouraged to set sail knowing that they will always find Malta ready to take them in on humanitarian considerations.

Joe Portelli

May 1st 2009, 20:45

We are talking about human lives here as if they were a football.

There is one best solutions so far, STOP them before they leave LIBYA..........

Berlusconi and Gaddafi get on. Gaddafi has forgotten us now that the Yanks and Brits are friends again with him.

Our only hope is through strong message at the EU election (6 Gunju) and lets send someone who will fight it as promised - stop them in Libya. I dont agree with this high seas bravado, 66/155 score. This is street fighting or giving in to becoming savages. Terrible.

Franco Farrugia

May 1st 2009, 20:42

@ J Busuttil. - 'take the issue to THE EU': Do you still believe that the EU is going to help Malta in this matter? Don't you realise that what we have here is a very serious dispute between a small, new EU state and a very large, G8, founding member of the EU? Don't you realise that this is nothing short of a very, very serious incident, diplomatic, call it what you like, the likes of which has never taken place within the EU? Do you realise that?
It is pretty obvious that Italy is doing its level best to bring Malta to its knees and it is up to the Maltese Government no to relent. This is a very, very serious matter and no amount of Maltese ministers will make us believe that all is well between Malta and Italy.

Carmelo(Nenu)Aquilina

May 1st 2009, 20:28

Ghandhom biex jiftahru t-talljani l-anqas huma kapaci jerfghu bicca responsabilta!
Messu jisthi il-Prim Ministru Taljan Berlusconi li kien kapaci jaqgha ghac-cajt mall-irgiel ta' veru Maltin quddiem id-dinja!
Ghandu biex jiftahar il-poplu Taljan bil-Prim Ministru Berlusconi u bil-Ministru Marroni!
Ma tisthux twaqfu patrol boat Matija bl-Emigranti ghajjiena u imgewha li tidhol f'pajjiskom biex tiehdu hsibhom intom kif obligati li taghmlu?
Ma tisthux Sinjuri Taljani li qed thallu lil-Prim Ministru Taghkom bil-gvern taghkom qed iwwaqghakom ghac-cajt ma' l-Ewropa u mad-dinja kollha?
Mela l-Italja li tiftahru biha daqshekk hi kapaci? Fejnu l-ftahir li tiftahru bih Sinjuri Taljani?
L-anqas farka solidarjeta ma kontu kapaci tipprattikaw mal-girien u mad-dghajjfin?
Qed tipprofittaw ruhkom mal-fqajrin ta'veru xhah, qiskom pajjis ta' l-imgewhin!
Urejtu sahhitkom mac-ckejknin, kif jghamel il-bezzieh!
Tliftu gihkom mal-hbieb taghkom l-irgiel ta' veru l-Maltin!
VIVA L-IRGULIJA U S-SOLIDARJETA TAL-KBAR MALTIN!

Joseph E Briffa

May 1st 2009, 20:28

The African immigrants are therefore doubly not welcomed here; religion and skin colour. Other 'invaders' are not only tolerated but made indeed welcome; I have in mind the blond blue-eyed Slavs and pan Slavs. We have to be honest with ourselves and admit that this is the case. Absorption of the African immigrants in our economy is already happening; just look around you and note the number of black garbage collectors, cleaners, plasterers and others doing menial jobs which the Maltese don't want to do anymore. This reminds me of Geneva in the 1960s where the Italians were doing the menial jobs, and of Frankfurt where the Turks do the menial jobs.At the moment the Africans represent ca 1% of the population and therefore it's not a problem; but we must do everything in our power not to let it get out of hand. Rather than using strong language and go on the warpath, I feel it would be more beneficial if we try even harder to bring other EU states on our side in this issue. Also it would be worth trying to convince Gaddafi - thru an influential intermediary - to stop the exodus from Libya.

Alexander Morana

May 1st 2009, 20:27

Margaret Richards I am sure they will welcome you with open arms in Somalia or Libya if you pack your suite cases and leave Malta, according to you, if the rule of law disintegrates into a civil war.

V.Formosa

May 1st 2009, 20:26

With the Opposition and most of the Maltese population four square behind the government this latest action is nothing but a retreat and a let down. If I were the Minister responsible I would have ordered our patrol boat to proceeed to Lampedusa (or face court martial if the crew comes back) and create an international incident. Perhaps our partners (what partners???) in the EU will wake up and lift a finger in support of Malta. Gas is cheap especially amongst supposedely friendly countries. We need to stand up to the Minister Maroni and Prime Minister Berlusconi.

J Busuttil

May 1st 2009, 20:15

Though this issue can creat emotional outcry everyone should keep his mind and heart in their rught way. Those who are protesting should not forget the PINAR issue this was a bit different and the migrants were on our boat. The AFM tried to take them to ITALY but were stoped. Should our boat have "attacked" Italy? So a sound mind decession was necessary. What I think the Government should do now after Malta's protest is to take the issue to THE EU and keep the people informed.

philip pace

May 1st 2009, 20:06

As I said before, Italy equalized the score by a piece of Italian trickery. Our Government was hooked up and succumbed quite easly. In the previous case of the Pinar I stood four square behind our Governemnt but on this case I don't as Dr.Gonzi proved to be a very weak Prime Minister in international affairs. He should very well know by now that what he trumpeted as a success in diplomacy, the voluntary bearing scheme, a few months ago has no weight , has no legal binding, has no moral obligation and is useless. He can throw this agreement in the dustbin. Italy shall do this all over again. Though I don't want to generalize they cannot be trusted in anything to do with international fairness especially now with Mr.Berlusconi having visions of grandeur in his homeland. The EU should have a navy task force monitoring the Mediterrenean Sea, seek very close coperation with Libya, make and help Libya to catch all those racketeers and this navy task force has to be provided by those nations who invaded and colonalized the African countries. Malta has a lot to lose and our Government was caught napping. Next move Mr.PM!

J. Borg

May 1st 2009, 19:34

Best thing is to fly the migrants start to Brussels into the hands of the EU Commission at least until the Italy vs Malta charade is concluded (if ever)!

v.pulis

May 1st 2009, 19:07

Paul Barrett take a look at our SAR region and you'll change your mind about Italy not needing Malta. Not only Italy but the whole of Europe need our country because we are providing them with a bastion against illegal immigration. Our SAR region stretches from Tunisia to Crete which by a strange coincidence is approximately the length of the libyan coastline! which means that any boat carrying illegal immigrants originating anywhere in libya has to pass through our region to reach Europe. malta is serving as a net catching all the fish before they reach the European mainland.

A Vella

May 1st 2009, 19:01

It is no use protesting now-they should not have brought them in, in the first place. 66 new immigrants, adding to the thousands that already are, are pressing on our taxes and resources now, not on those of the italian people. In this issue, this was a tactic to test the weakness of the Maltese Government, and it scored 10 on 10. This could have easily created a precedent for these things to happen again in the near future.

Joe Grima

May 1st 2009, 18:38

Italy has bullied the Maltese Government on the illegal immigrants issue and the reaction of our Government has been to send a strongly -worded note verbale. Maroni will wipe his behind with the note verbale and the next time round, encouraged by his success in doing what Mussolini couldn't, i.e browbeating our authorities into submission , will do worse. Our displeasure at their behaviour must be clearly and publicly demonstrated for the rest of the world to savour. Our Foreign Minister should first call the Italian Ambassador and throw the book at him with a dressing down that the Italians will not easily forget. For the next act, the moment a boat with illegals is seen , the Maltese should stay put and let someone else go out and rescue them Third, if some illegals land on their own, they should be arrested and tried for illegal entry. If we show that we have the political will to fight for our rights no one will be laughing , not even Maroni

Enzo Caruana

May 1st 2009, 18:18

Gomzi said that Berlusconi understood our position and "acted immediately and Simon Busuttil was trumpeting that we won a battle with the Italians "without using the veto"

VETO IS CLOUT Dr Busuttil. Something this government has demonstarted that it does not possess

Franco Farrugia

May 1st 2009, 17:57

I think that Malta should do more than just 'protest'. If the EU is not siding with, and helping, Malta in this issue, I really think that we should take unilateral decisions.

d. borg

May 1st 2009, 17:55

I hope the govt also wrote a letter of protest to the EU informing them that once again Italy has broken international law. This bullying must stop. Is this the kind of solidarity we are being promised?

A. Damato

May 1st 2009, 17:38

The MEP elections - my perfect tool to show my dissatisfaction against this dormant government. Wake up from the slumber!!!!!!

Paul Barrett

May 1st 2009, 17:28

It is extremely difficult for a small Island like Malta to be "strong" against a Country like Italy. You have to take into account of whom needs who here.
Think about where a great deal of our imports come from; tourists trade, Internet connections and indeed also think about the plan to connect to the European power grid THROUGH Italy.
Apart from being in the right and therefore making justified protests to both Italy and the EU, there is little pressure that can be brought to persuade Italy to do what is legally and morally correct.
We need Italy, Italy does not need us.

Denis Catania

May 1st 2009, 17:28

Don't blame the Italian government, they are doing what's best for their country. Blame the incompetent Maltese government. They too, should be doing whats best for their country. But instead they are going 24 miles away from other EU countries and rescuing illegals immigrants and bringing them to Malta.
Anyone who votes PN this coming MEP election is a fool and this statement is coming from a PN supporter.

Margaret Richards

May 1st 2009, 17:26

If there was infringement of Maritime/Humanitarian or Int'l Law, don't you think that the competent bodies will act??? Do you think that by writing stupid comments you are going to ease the already tense situation. I really do believe in the sterling work of the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, and in the Law per se. If we won't believe in diplomacy and law anymore, we won't be better than Somalia and LIbya where no human rights exist, and especially in Somalia, anarchy is the order of the day.

joe camenzuli

May 1st 2009, 17:17

Malta has learned its lesson. The Ministry and AFM should keep away from other countries doorstep and look only after territorial waters. Any further illegals should be turned back.
'kEEP YOUR NOSE OUT FROM THE NEIGHBOURS BACKYARD TO AVOID FURTHER PROBLEMS'.

Damian Fenech

May 1st 2009, 17:14

A protest should also be adressed to the EU , and what about The Hauge ???
Take action or we really are going to end up being the "Makku tal Unjoni Ewropea."

joe camenzuli

May 1st 2009, 16:58

OK guys. Show your dissatisfaction in the coming MEP elections.

Lewis Muscat

May 1st 2009, 16:56

If Italy does not observe the rule of International Law, then why should we. Give them a boat and let them continue sailing to wherever they wanted to go in the first place. I'm sure that they never intended to come here anyway.

Mark Grech

May 1st 2009, 16:55

Italy is always going to be a fair weather friend, and no more. And the PN (and particularly the Minister for Foreign affairs) are well known for their Italophile sympathies. Well maybe this is a wake up call to their predelictions.
And to think that Italy had the gall to demand that Malta include Italian as an official language in the constitution!

Marcel Dingli

May 1st 2009, 16:50

I dont blame the Italian Government. Who placed the red carpet for these illegals in the first place ?? We reap what we sow.

Lewis Balzan

May 1st 2009, 16:46

@ Sarah Wright
I'm all for your suggestion but it takes a Mintoff to do that. Unfortunately (for Malta, that is) in a situation like this our government is not of that ilk, far from it. Grovelling and appeasement is the order of the day.

John C Betts

May 1st 2009, 16:46

Why should Moslems (or any denomination of Christians, or Hebrews, Hindus, Buddhists, Zoroastrians etc.) praying in the streets be a sign of disrespect for our traditions? What does this have to do with Malta's protests to Italy? Are we protesting with Italy against religious freedom?
"Precedents should not be set, humanitarian or not"? This statement implies leaving people to die unaided. Is this what our traditions entail?

victor vella

May 1st 2009, 16:41

Malta should immediately officially reportthe incident to the presidency og the EU and hence forth withold frontex from takeing to sea.and also suspend s&r missions to migrants, that way international concern would focus on the problem ,one other thing, should we not see action from the EU why the hell should we send MEPs so for 1 I am not voting.The EPP should get offf it's arse and pressure Barrot to do somthing.as for the Italians you know where you should all go to and what to do when you get there.

Joseph sammut

May 1st 2009, 16:37

So what`s happening now are they to stay in Malta,Malta should water them and feed them see to their health and send them back to Italy,Like Italy did a fer months ago,what are laws for if not obeyed by Italy,After all they had the boats to stop our boats to enter Italian ports

David Seychell

May 1st 2009, 16:35

If someone, for example, steals my money, I don't go and protest with the thief but go and report him to the police. Likewise, we should report Italy to the international body that is supposed to make sure that international laws are respected, if there is any. If Italy can again and again ignore these laws with impunity, then we should do the same thing and ignore these laws that are like a noose around our neck.

Tony Mangiont

May 1st 2009, 16:28

Stand to be corrected. Has Dr Simon Busuttil confirmed that he was very much successful in the illegal imigrants dilemma without the need to go for the veto, as suggested by Dr Joseph Muscat?. See you at the polls Simon & Co.

Joanne Micallef

May 1st 2009, 16:19

Us armchair critics have been labeled racists when we envisaged what was going to happen a few years back, and that is why we are angry and disappointed at how the PN Goverment has conducted himself regarding this issue.
Our Goverment wasted some excellent opportunities to try and get proper and factual help from the EU regarding the illegal immigration issue. For one he shouldn't have ratified the new Lisbon treaty in such a hurry, but instead he should have used the ratification as leverage to try and help this country dig itself out of the mess his predecessor Dr EFA put us in when he relinquished the reservations our country had so cleverly obtained under Dr Borg Olivier’s presidency with regards to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
Ms Louise Vella is 100%, how can anyone take our Goverment seriously now regarding this issue, when he's been speaking like Mother Theresa for the past 2/3 years.

Sarah Wright

May 1st 2009, 16:14

Louise Vella was ritght.

At the end of the day Italy finished with "a strongly worded note verbal" and Malta with yet another 66 ILLEGAL immigrants to feed.

Accounting wise, I let you work out who is on the lighter part of the balance......

How about kicking the Italian ambassador and the Italian mission out of Malta? now THAT would send shockwaves in the international community.

J S Borg

May 1st 2009, 16:11

So large countries with good economy cannot afford to accept illegal immigrants, but Malta a tiny island with fragile economy can.
If I am not mistaken the Malta University runs courses in "International Law" as well as "international Maritime Law"
I always joke with students following these courses that such courses are hullobaloo because international law is to have your finger on the trigger of a mighty gun.

D. Abdilla

May 1st 2009, 16:01

In the Long run in this Italy-Malta Issue, Malta took 66 immigrants while Italy took 155 last week.

Good Job

Peter Seychell

May 1st 2009, 15:53

I have always been sympathetic to the immigrant’s cause and to the fact that it is our responsibility to offer refuge to genuine cases that find their way to our shores. However, I urge authorities to stick adamantly to their guns as in the recent case of the Pinar. Let’s not set any precedents; humanitarian reasons or not. Humanitarian. Responsibilities should be borne as dictated by international law and it is the party that is in breach of that law that should carry the full responsibility of its actions, actions which should be widely relayed to the whole international arena.

John Borg

May 1st 2009, 15:50

@D.Diacono: so what do you suggest? Maybe we should go to war with our neighbours perhaps? It's so easy for all of the armchair critics to post hollow suggestions. This is becoming a serious issue between two countries sharing very good relations and it is so obvious that Malta is being used by Italy as a platform to seek attention, albeit at our expense. Italy is purposely "bullying" Malta to kick start the EU into taking firm action with "our allies" in Europe, though unfortunatley it seems Italy does not have the guts to stand up to these allies head on, hence this charade in the middle of the Med.

Joe Xuereb

May 1st 2009, 15:49

And where is the Pope in all this (the last time I looked, his abode was bang in the centre of Rome, in the centre of Italy). He has enough time to visit Africa and entreat Angolans to give up witchcraft (presumably so that they will integrate seamlessly when they get round to stepping onto mainland Europe. And he did not forget his condemnation of condoms of course. He wants the Angolans at all to come in profusion. No problem. Europe needs a young workforce. An investment for the paying out of future pensions and a health care already in place, just. The beneficiaries will be of course the burgeoning workforce. Economic migrants come to make good we were told all those years. And they did very well.
Because they were astute. And we passive.

Edric Micallef Figallo

May 1st 2009, 15:49

"Malta said it regarded the incident as a breach of international law and hoped there would not be a repetition." - It is a breach and from the words of the report of there is to be a repetition there is no sensible alternative than to start international law proceedings at the International Court of Justice. Cases there aren't resolved with a bat of an eyelid. As two friendly states bicker like little kids for problems they have a common, the European Union betrays its own much vaunted notions of "European solidarity" through its trademark inaction and inefficiency. I hope the EU proves me wrong.

In the meantime, at the Sliema chalet around 50 Muslims just started praying in the street. An illegal mosque in the area was legitimately closed down by MEPA, talk about respect for our laws and traditions, this is an open challenge to our authorities. No matter how politically incorrect it sounds, that won't spell wonders for tourism at a time when the industry cannot expect the best due to the worldwide situation. This ties in with the question with Italy. While Europeans bicker, Gaddafi is overjoyed at these sites.

Simon J. Aquilina

May 1st 2009, 15:47

If the Maltese government considers this incident as a breach of international law then the next step should be to take the Italian Foreign Minister and the Government he represents to the EU court! This episode showed that it is useless to talk with these people because the Italian Foreign Minister will continue finding new methods on how not to take immigrants in and send these to Malta. How can we trust the Italians (on this issue) after these two events so close to each other!? More action on this case is needed! Words are not enough at this stage!

Thomas anderson

May 1st 2009, 15:45

this is utterly an example of a bigger nation bullying a smaller one....how dare they 'ITALY' sent there war ships to prevent the immigrant being landed at the nearest harbour at lampedusa....thats an example of whats to come for poor little island malta....in future i for see the italian war ships been ordered to harras the AFM of malta to pick up immigrant on the sea or face being attacked....I hope the EU and the UN would sway into this matter before it unfolds it's ugly side...I ve been oppurtune to visit malta twice and from my experience there the island is quite small to be facing these crisis of illegal immigration all by it self...
(Thomas anderson from DUBLIN)

Charles Sammut

May 1st 2009, 15:44

This is absolutely pathetic. Malta and Italy fighting over an issue which should by right be laid on Libya's doorstep.

The good Colonel must he laughing his heart out. Good for him, he was not stupid enough to sign crippling international conventions which are now being grossly abused and are way long expired. Malta on the other hand is self-destructing in the name of misplaced humanitarianism and misguided charity.

GaleaL

May 1st 2009, 15:43

Why was the patrol boat not ordered to stand by Lampedusa and the matter taken up straight away with the EU when we were told that the EU leaders supported Malta in the Pinar incident?

Shame on the authorities for giving in to the Italians. You have shamed us.

Joseph P.Sammut

May 1st 2009, 15:39

Why were the illigal imigrants ever brought up on the Maltese boat in the first place? They could have been towed to Lampedusa or given fuel and let them get on to their planned destination.

Tony Fava

May 1st 2009, 15:29

On Bondi Plus of last Monday The prime said that he has a goog relation wth Mr. Berlusconi , well these are the results!!!!!

louise vella

May 1st 2009, 15:06

“Malta has delivered a strongly worded note verbal to Italy protesting … In the protest, delivered to the Italian foreign ministry in Rome, Malta said … and hoped there would not be a repetition… Malta said …”

Parole, parole, parole …

But who will take notice of a Prime Minister who speaks like Mother Theresa? “Malta would continue doing what was morally, ethically and legally correct in the illegal migration issue, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said …” Morally and ethically correct means doing what the Jesuit Refugee Service preaches. Why should Maroni & Co take any notice of Dr Gonzi’s words?

Joanne Micallef

May 1st 2009, 15:01

We can argue until we're blue in the face, nothing will change unless our Goverment will show some serious backbone regarding this issue especially when one knows that the worse is yet to come.

D.Diacono

May 1st 2009, 14:58

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE now that we have taken the 66 illegal immigrants dr gonzi !!!

strongly worded verbal notes mean nothing to us,

STRONG ACTIONS MEAN ALOT FOR US !!!

ray pace

May 1st 2009, 14:56

I think that the PM should take the issue to the next EU Council meeting or better - request for an urgent EU Council meeting to discuss this problem as, as things stand it is obvious that Italy is not going to help out, on the contrary Italy will be giving our Armed Forces hell.