Editorial

Italy's Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni, a villain two weeks ago, is suddenly flavour of the month. Actually, that statement needs some qualification. His acerbic comments in relation to the Pinar incident instantly boosted his popularity with a section of the population in Italy. It was the people on this island, rather, that were less than enamoured with his theatrical displays of nationalism.

Actually, that statement needs some qualification too. The vocal majority of Maltese, it would transpire, were not so much bothered by the sentiments Mr Maroni expressed - in the sense that 'us Italians don't want rescued illegal immigrants to land on our turf' - as by the manner in which he proposed to execute that statement, 'send them to Malta instead'.

When Mr Maroni turned his attention to Libya, the same Maltese that were calling him all sorts of names suddenly started to see him as something of a prophet.

They reasoned that if we all manage to stop immigrants leaving Libya in the first place, or at least send them back there after they had departed - as the Italian coastguard did just a few days ago with a rescued boatload of 227 human beings - it would, as Mr Maroni himself triumphantly stated, be a historic achievement that could "represent a twist in the fight against illegal immigration".

Our government even hailed this apparent agreement between Italy and Libya as a move that could "potentially prevent a loss of life".

But just before the champagne corks start to pop, it might be wise to pause for a little reflection.

Eddie Fenech Adami, now rid of the shackles of Malta's highest symbolic office, offered much food for thought when he spoke at a conference to mark five years of EU membership last Friday. He warned that sending all migrants rescued at sea straight back to Libya would breach their fundamental human right to ask for protection.

There is no doubting this wise old head is right. We must not seek the expedient way out just so we can sweep the problem away from our doorstep. We have international as well as human obligations and it is vital we observe them. Even if we were prepared to abandon our principles, how could we be sure that such an agreement between Italy and Libya would last - especially when history tells us otherwise?

However, even though there is no ready-made solution to the problem - and for us it is a problem - it is important that we capitalise on the profile the issue has had in recent weeks with a view to finally getting all EU member states - not Malta or Italy in isolation - to do something tangible about it, with, of course, Libya's co-operation as a partner.

Carm Mifsud Bonnici's suggestion to set up a checkpoint in Libya at which all migrants can be processed, with the involvement of humanitarian organisations, could indeed be the way forward, particularly as it will respect the rights of individuals while at the same time deter the criminal gangs that operate these hellish journeys.

But this will only be possible if organisations like the UNHCR co-operate and if the EU puts into practice an equitable burden-sharing mechanism. What Malta must not get dragged into is any political showboating exercise by Mr Maroni.

That could well be the biggest danger of the planned mission to Libya.