Minister lambasts UNHCR

Accusing the UNHCR of wanting to play "Russian roulette" with migrants' lives, the Home Affairs Minister has insisted that creating an effective office in Libya where asylum seekers could apply for protection was a sensible solution.

Carm Mifsud Bonnici also lambasted those who have criticised Libya for not doing enough on the issue of illegal immigration, including people from his own party.

He hit out at the UN agency for attacking Italy's policy to turn migrants back to Libya yet failing to suggest an alternative.

"I cannot understand their criticism because it seems as if they want to play Russian roulette with people's lives.

"It makes no sense encouraging migrants to cross the sea and risk their lives when a proper functioning asylum office in Libya could cut out the criminal ring that makes a profit from this situation," he said.

The minister said the Maltese proposal for an asylum office in Libya was winning approval at EU level.

"The feedback we are getting is positive," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, although he did not disclose the quarters from which the government had received support.

Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni was the first, on Wednesday, to publicly endorse the suggestion. Implementing the proposal would require the collaboration of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Libyan authorities and the EU.

According to Dr Mifsud Bonnici, it can work because the UNHCR already has representation in Libya and its office has processed a number of applications for asylum.

"If the UNHCR wants to take things seriously, we are ready to help bolster its operation in Libya," he said.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici insisted that the aim behind the proposal was to stem criminality and racism.

"It would be a mistake to believe that the far-right has the solution to the problem of migration. We respect people's dignity when we introduce logic into the debate," he said.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici criticised the UNHCR for its apparent lack of interest in discussing the issue of migration, adding that he had been asking for an appointment with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres since September.

"I should have been in a meeting with him on Wednesday but it was postponed for the umpteenth time," he lamented.

The minister also accused the UNHCR of dragging its feet in the processing of refugee applications in Malta, which hampered the uptake of refugees by the United States.

"The US informed us that they could take up to 30 refugees a month but apart from the interviews by the American authorities, they would also have to be interviewed by the UNHCR. Unfortunately, the process is being held up by the UNHCR. Malta's case does not seem to be a priority for them."

Another problem the government has had to face is that other European countries were not allowed by the UNHCR to take in refugees from Malta as part of their allocated annual quota. Each country has an agreement with the UNHCR on the number of refugees it will take in. Any refugees from Malta would have to be over and above the individual countries' quota.

Turning to the criticism often levelled at Libya, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that people who speak in this way "do know what they are saying".

On Thursday PN MEP candidate Frank Portelli, in a letter to The Times, went as far as calling for sanctions on Libya.

"I want Libya on board with me. This is why we are pushing for the EU to negotiate a proper deal with Libya. Malta is doing its part to achieve this," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

Attempts to obtain comments from the UNHCR in Rome proved futile despite repeated attempts.