PM in Stockholm for talks - Illegal migration a main topic

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is having official talks with his Swedish counterpart, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt ,whose country will be assuming the EU Presidency next week.

Dr Gonzi is being hosted to a working lunch at the Rosenbad, the Prime Minister’s office in Stockholm , discussing the EU Presidency work programme until the end of the year.

Government sources told timesofmalta.com that illegal immigration is one of the main items being raised by Malta during these talks. This is in view of a review of the EU’s policy in the field of Justice and Home Affairs, which is to be concluded under the Swedish Presidency.

To be known as the ‘Stockholm programme’, the EU’s five-year blueprint will be setting the EU’s agenda on the various reforms to being made by the EU in the coming years, particularly in relation to migration and asylum.

"We want to make sure that the EU keeps focus on our illegal immigration problems and to assure that the Commission’s proposals unveiled by President Barroso earlier this month will also be included in this programme," the sources said.

Dr Gonzi is also discussing the latest preparations being made by the Commission and the incoming EU Presidency to launch the first ever intra-EU resettlement programme specifically designed for Malta so that persons who already have humanitarian status can be resettled in other member states of the EU.

Dr Gonzi will later on this evening travel to Estonia where tomorrow he will be conducting official talks with Estonia's Prime Minsiter Andrus Ansip.

Dr Gonzi is accompanied by Foreign Minister Tonio Borg and Malta’s Permanent Representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana.