Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
Euro Parliament votes for pro-Malta asylum rules
One Labour MEP votes against, another abstains - 'by mistake'
The European Parliament yesterday approved amendments to the EU asylum system aimed at enhancing solidarity between member states on immigration and called for a binding mechanism to be set up before 2012.
The draft rules, which still have to be approved by member states, include the setting up of an Asylum Agency and amendments to the so-called Dublin II convention, which forces a country where immigrants land to process their asylum applications. The measures would provide for this requirement to be suspended in the case of overburdened countries like Malta.
The document also outlines an obligatory burden-sharing mechanism to ease the pressure on peripheral member states.
But the vote will also probably set the stage for a fierce political controversy locally, as the parties gear up for the forthcoming European Parliament elections - two of the three Labour MEPs sitting in Strasbourg did not vote in favour of the Dublin II changes.
Only Louis Grech voted in favour while John Attard Montalto voted against and Glenn Bedingfield did not cast his vote although he was present for the voting session.
Contacted by The Times, Dr Attard Montalto admitted that he had made a mistake by pushing the no button when he intended to vote yes, while Mr Bedingfield said that he also intended to vote in favour but his electronic vote was not registered. Both Labour MEPs told The Times that they immediately submitted a statement to correct their mistake.
But the Nationalist Party immediately pounced on the blunder, noting "with disappointment that on another very important vote for our country... the Labour party did not safeguard the national interest".
It accused Labour of lack of consistency. "On one simple vote, as happened in the past, Labour's three representatives did not manage to agree among themselves and they all voted differently." It insisted that people are owed an explanation.
But Labour's reaction was also speedy. Speaking at a party activity in the evening, party leader Joseph Muscat accused the PN of trying to draw political mileage out of a non-issue, stressing that the two MEPs had corrected the matter immediately.
He turned the tables on the PN, saying that the vote for an obligatory burden sharing agreement vindicated his criticism towards the Immigration Pact signed last year and which only spoke of voluntary burden sharing.
Yesterday's package of laws also introduces more rights and guarantees for asylum seekers, with standards to be guaranteed to asylum seekers in terms of housing, food, clothing, health care, financial benefits, freedom of movement and access to work. It also includes provisions on the protection of vulnerable people, such as minors, unaccompanied minors, pregnant women and victims of torture and violence.The use of detention should be decided on a case-by-case basis, and asylum seekers should not be held in prisons but in specialised detention facilities.
According to the approved text, "instruments shall be enacted, binding on all member states, in order to provide effective support to those member states which are faced with specific and disproportionate pressures on their national systems due, in particular, to their geographical or demographic situation. Those instruments shall enter into force no later than December 31, 2011."
Many member states are expected to oppose these proposals.
The Nationalist Party leader at the EP, Simon Busuttil, in a statement yesterday pointed out that the Parliament's initiatives may be still resisted by some countries. "It is time for them to realise that they can no longer expect just a couple of countries to shoulder a responsibility that belongs to all," he said.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
12 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
gaffarena joseph
May 10th 2009, 11:39
Vera haqqu kull tifhir il professur Oliver Friggiri meta qal LI FIL PARLAMENT MA JIKBRUX FJURI.
Adrian Cardona
May 9th 2009, 07:36
If you can't even press the right button, how can you be expected to run a country?! What a farce! Labour are trying to look good with their pro-immigrant Socialist Euro-partners, and at the same time trying to pretend they are defending us....and making an almighty mess in the process.
Joe Cassar
May 8th 2009, 22:09
Hey guys what is all this fuss about? In favour-agaist-infavour-against. Can't a guy make a mistake....at least Dr Attard Montaldo was man enough to correct his mistake. However the same cannot be said of Dr Gonzi who was so satisfied with a voluntary burden sharing agreement a couple of months ago which he hastily signed and now he does not seem so satisfied and is weeping for more from the EU. What about the rape of the Malta's finances over the last 12 months not withstanding the increased burdens of taxes (both direct and indirect). and have you all forgot the broken promises of a year ago.....I'm still taxed at 35% and my salary is nowhere near Euro60,000.......ahhhh the bulb's vouchers are to be distributed before the MEPs elections are they..........Enjoy the bite on the bait guys.
Luke Gatt
May 8th 2009, 16:56
Dr Muscat tries to project the image that when it comes to immigration he is Super man. He has all the answers, the 20 points which remind me of the 20 points I needed to enter University in the eighties (I started with minus 20) but when it comes to actually voting in the EP its blundering galore for Labour. Keep it up! Deeds...ups I meant misdeeds speak louder than words
Michael Neville Cassar
May 8th 2009, 16:43
PL stop playing the Pilate ,you are either fore or against.
Karl Abela
May 8th 2009, 15:31
Lejber cant handle the simplest of jobs, let alone running the country. What a laugh, what a ridicule. The labour party are a bunch of 6 year olds playing football scoring autogoals. I appeal to Dr Muscat....get those bunch of kids back to Malta before they do more damage to our country.
Frans Sammut
May 8th 2009, 12:49
The electorate has no doubt taken notice. This is not the first lapsus instance, there was at least one other such case in the Maltese Parliament. The electorate is equally conscious that this blundering business does not apply to ALL PL EP candidates. The 6 June electoral results will prove to be sufficient evidence of this contention.
john fenech
May 8th 2009, 12:14
Dr. Muscat one might conclude that the LP MEP’s seem to be jinxed whenever the interest of Malta is at stake but not so in the interest of another country, America! So do you honestly imagine that your rationalization or the MEP’s action after the lapsus be construe as credible!? As regard to voluntary burden sharing I was and will remain sceptic of the goodwill of our European partners. So if this will be ratified to be on a mandatory basis than we might stand a better chance to reap some benefit. It might be argued that we should have put the burden sharing as mandatory in the first place; if we did the possibility would have been a total rejection. This would have made it impossible to reactivate it ever again. We have been extended the opportunity to put the burden sharing on a better footing. Will we reap the benefits who can tell, but hope is eternal! On the other hand because of recent events burden sharing might not be so essential any more!
P Borg
May 8th 2009, 12:08
Laugh laugh laugh!!!! These MEPs appear not to know the only thing which they are supposed to know as MEPs - PRESSING THE RIGHT BUTTON (then they can go back home and pocket their fat salaries and perks)!!!
John Azzopardi
May 8th 2009, 11:32
This vote means very little unless all EU countries approve this law. Thus we are still in Limbo on this issue. Again, no clear policy and everyone here in Malta goes gaga and think they achieved a final resolution. Of the EU can issue a directive if it wants to that makes burden sharing mandatory. We all know that at the end , not all countries are going to approve this law, especially when you have so many woes in most counties. Spain close to 20 % unemployment, followed by france, Italy, etc. And who keeps saying we need more immigrants to supplement the aging population of Europe when there isn't enough jobs to go around for about 10-15% or even more of the European population. Why aren't the small groups advocating this kind of policy stopped once and for all from saying all these lies.
R. Caruana
May 8th 2009, 11:12
SHAME and nothing but SHAME on the PL's MEPs who couldn't even agree between themselves how to vote. And this has been going on for as long as they have been in the EU Parliament. One made a 'mistake', after five years sitting on those benches! And the other stays mum. Who of the three MEPs followed the PL line? Will those who went against be fined, as per the PL's statute? This really brings to the fore why PL candidates in the next EU Parliamentary elections should not be trusted.
Anthony Mercieca
May 8th 2009, 10:20
Reading the article, in spite of its weight, brings me a few giggles. How come the PL Malta representatives voting gadget malfunctioned? Is this the perennial anti Malta, anti PL plot as Dr. Muscat and previous leaders always try to instill in us voters? Could it be that certain MEPs are incompetent in using the voting gadget? But if such exists, imagine the PL running Malta!!!!!!Sorry for the giggles