Malta needs conviction and not opportunism

I fully comprehend that the Italian authorities are duty bound to defend their nation's interest and have the right to act unilaterally if they deem it important to do so, but the way they elected to go about it is not impressive. By opting to bully a smaller neighbour which is likewise a victim of this influx is hardly the right signal to give. If Italy was really serious about addressing the issue of illegal immigration it should perhaps direct its resolve elsewhere - namely towards those countries which are the source of these migratory flows. But then again perhaps Malta is a more convenient target - since it is neither a former colony nor a country where Italy has economic and geo-political interests at stake. Secondly – I believe that the illegal immigrants have no right either to go to Italy or Malta or elsewhere, and it would have served both countries better to take a joint stand on this simple fact.

I therefore call on the government to stand up to this bullying with an unequivocal and resolute stand. It has nothing to fear but fear itself, and since it is well within its rights it will find the public including Azzjoni Nazzjonali right behind it. It should also wisen up to underhand tactics that are being used by our neighbours in their effort to use us as a convenient buffer. Furthermore - this issue should serve as proof if any more were needed that burden sharing will never happen as AN has long maintained, and the only option is for the government to expend it's every effort to persist in the demand for common EU repatriation agreements with third party countries instead.

In the meantime, until such agreements are in place, if a bigger and wealthier nation like Italy can act unilaterally then so should we. This is an issue that Azzjoni Nazzjonali feels very strongly about and will continue to insist upon – because time is the most crucial aspect and with each day that passes the problem will continue to grow. Enough time has already been wasted by this government first by failing to see and admit the gravity of the problem and secondly in chasing the wrong solutions.

The opposition is not to be trusted it on this issue either - not by a long mile. Joseph Muscat suddenly discovered his vocal chords on illegal immigration, but I am entitled to ask, where was he or for that matter the PL for the past few years? What did JM do to combat illegal immigration when he was an MEP? What did he deliver in return for the tens of thousands of euros he earned from the taxpayers? Why should I trust him to solve something that up till recently he chose to remain mum about?

More than ever, Malta needs representatives in the EU that have the conviction and resolve to do whatever it takes to defend our country's sovereign rights and not individuals who invoke international 'obligations' to hide their inertia, ineptitude and appeasement or even worse: their political opportunism.