We have delivered...
During its last plenary sitting in this mandate, the European Parliament endorsed, at first reading, a set of five laws dealing with asylum, including changes to the Dublin regulation and the setting up of a legally binding burden-sharing mechanism enabling the reallocation of immigrants among EU countries.
The changes to the Dublin regulation and the introduction of the mandatory burden sharing mechanism, that I proposed along with other MEPs, were by far the most important for Malta. And they were met with overwhelming approval.
This means that the European Parliament has delivered. Five years ago no one knew anything about Malta's plight on immigration. Today the European Parliament is fully behind us.
This is not a coincidence. It is the result of hard work over a long period of time.
Malta had long called for a change in these rules and changes to the Dublin regulation were formally proposed by the European Commission last December. The Commission proposed to suspend the Dublin rules on EU countries, such as Malta, which face a disproportionate burden as a result of their geographic and demographic situation. This would mean that immigrants moving from Malta to other EU countries would no longer be transferred back here, thereby alleviating our burden significantly.
In its vote, the European Parliament endorsed this proposal.
Apart from agreeing to suspend Dublin rules, the European Parliament also resolved that it is essential to establish a legally binding instrument to ensure greater solidarity between Member States through the resettlement of the beneficiaries of international protection in other Member States.
I know that what we adopted is resisted by some EU countries in Council that are reluctant to share the burden because they feel that immigrants crossing the Mediterranean are not their problem. But it is their problem too and 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. They can no longer express shock when immigrants are lost at sea but then turn a blind eye when it comes to hosting the immigrants who are saved.
I am very satisfied with this vote because it is the result of years of hard work. We have been there for Malta and we have delivered.
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Peter Borg
Jun 1st 2009, 14:20
At Stephen farrugia: when the PL was shooting down the idea of burden sharing, although Glenn Beddingfield is now saying that the PL was always in favour, Dr Busutill was the only one left fighting for our biggest problem in Malta. Now seems that the Commission is taking our proposal by forcing on burding sharing between all EU states. So after all our discussions and talks have delivered. As for Joe Muscat, he instructed the Government to use the veto in such circumstances. We would not have been obtained such a position from the Commission if we did what Joe Muscat suggested. But after all, to Joe Muscat, Malta is a net contributor and not a net reciever. Simple mathematical subtraction. More of the same? of course Alfred sant followed by Joe Muscat.
Charles Theuma
May 27th 2009, 15:25
As an MEP Dr Busuttil you took the bull by the horn, and convinced the Government of Malta that stipends should be paid to any Maltese citizen, wherever they chose to study, and through your intervention, students reading for degrees either in licensed private institutions in Malta or at Universities overseas are also getting stipends. May I have your opinion why those students who are doing diplomas are not also getting stipends like other more equal students attending MCAST? Do you have an opinion whether the current system must be changed where each and every student gets a scholarship which will include college/University fees as well as stipends and the choice is theirs where they wish to read for thei studies, as per Chalmers Report and also Profs Serracino Inglott article of the Sunday Times? What is your opinion and will you take this up when you will again take your place as an MEP to continue with your good work?
Nicholas Vella
May 27th 2009, 11:19
Dr Busutill has been the only one MEP who is consistent on the issue of IMMIGRATION. The PL MEPs have either abstained, or voted against in such circumstances...
@ stephen Farrugia - More of the same of what???? The PL is favouring Glenn Beddingfield - but he has not submitted at least one single report for the European Parliament, and when they was a vote on Illegal immigration he was launching his campaign in Malta????
stephen farrugia
May 27th 2009, 09:19
Who got us in this trouble in the first place? Even now we signed for the immigrant families to come to Malta. We are 13 times higher then Europe with immigrants, from being the lowest five years ago. All this is spin or playing with words. Do you think, we don't know what all this is really about, like the hunters?
Your policies are wrong, with burden-sharing,intergration and multi-culturism. It is not even in the party manifesto. Let us not forget, that the majority of the Maltese Nationalists were offensively called racists and on and on and on............and still going on !
On immigration, only trouble has been delivered.
I want someone, that can deliever like Maroni and not more of the same, of these last five years.
Frans Borg
May 25th 2009, 17:14
Keep up the good work. Dr Busuttil. The Maltese definitely need your expertise in the subject to represent them in the European parliament.
C. Schembri
May 25th 2009, 13:34
Dr. Busuttil...
Thank you for being such a dedicated MEP towards Malta's best interests. Illegal immigration (particularly Burden sharing) is definitely one of the highlights of your journey as an MEP!