Italy told migrants cannot be sent back

cecil herbert jones - KUL EWROPA

Jul 25th 2009, 03:43

Only Malta knows what tailor-made for it, but unfortunately it can't have the cake and eat it. So the only solution is to give the migrants a Maltese passport (not an Aliens passport like its issuing the migrants with because several EU member states do not recognise it and they repatriate them back to us, but an ordinary Maltese citizen passport with an 'M' not an 'A').

Our passport can be amended in our parliament to detach civil rights from it and carry only protection rights.

Then Malta will save approx €30 million per year, it can scrap the spartan detention centres, because all the migrants will have left just as soon as they arrive. This should go on until the EU federalises our maritime border and physically control it. Then as soon as it does that we can go back to the original oil-drilling hole that Gaddafi chucked us away from and resume drilling. If Libya thought it necessary to push us away from that hole it must have known there was oil there.

A Caruana

Jul 24th 2009, 07:26

This is just great. The only government who was doing WHAT HAD TO BE DONE, the ones who had the guts and the ones who were PROTECTING their country (and indirectly us with them - for sure not our do-something-for-elections government) are now going to be forced to do what it is THOUGHT IS TO BE DONE! Seems this is going to be another EU blunder to compliment the European farmers milk dilemma, Seems Barrot is living in another world, he came out with no solutions. How are they going to be certain that they are not economic immigrants?

This quote is really funny "the voluntary measures were being embarked upon through a pilot project" in other words he is just saying that "for now just get illegal immigrants and then we might do something". This is the burden sharing? By taking a handful? 5 or 10? the US did take much more than the whole of mainland Europe! Also the burden sharing is nothing but just a trophy for those who risk their lives to cross.

The only solution is 1 - the Italian way - the PROPER way! NO ENTRY AND SEND BACK!

d. borg

Jul 24th 2009, 07:14

@John Borg
Not when those same laws are a threat to Italy (or Malta for that matter). The security of your country should come first and foremost. Safrattant il-pajjizi l-ohra ma jriduhomx hux!!

John Borg

Jul 24th 2009, 02:14

Phil: another one of those British expats, are you?

Vivienne Grech

Jul 24th 2009, 01:42

It is very hypocritical of the EU to say that burden sharing is 'not possible'. Impossible is nothing, if only they really cared.

However I am glad the EU has shown intolerance to Italy's disgusting behaviour.

j.spiteri

Jul 23rd 2009, 23:52

What I am about to say is for example’s sake and is to be taken as an example only . I am against all form of violence. I sympathise, to a certain point, with the illegal migrants and the plight they are going through.

So Barrot's reasoning is this:

If Malta turns violent against illegal immigrants, and Malta sends them in boat loads to Sicily, the Italian Government will have no right to send them back to Malta because, as Barrot put it, their lives will be threatened.
What a waste of time this EU club is!

Kenneth Galea

Jul 23rd 2009, 23:10

I simply cannot bear this injustice and unreasonable demands from the EU. The EU were NEVER interested in solving the problem. Sounds to me that the UNHCR got away with it once again despite having an office in Tripoli. If Italy did not step in we would have invaded by the illegal immigrants. Let's hope that Italy's visit to Libya means that Gaddafi is going to convince Silvio/EU that the illegal immigrants are in safe hands on Libyan soil which we know they are. Burden sharing is another farce like Frontex.

c.caruana

Jul 23rd 2009, 22:57

About time!!! immigrants cannot be sent back to libya...they are dying there!!

Alexander Morana

Jul 23rd 2009, 22:05

Typical Mr. Barrot speaks from both sides of his mouth. Don't believe him anymore.

This just a warning shot at those countries which might follow Italy’s suite. Malta on his mind……
An unelected official telling a sovereign country what to do... Like the Soviet Union now the Commie EU.

Chris Finch

Jul 23rd 2009, 21:56

Malta is no longer a parochial little outpost in the Med, since 2004 it is part of a wider community, voted for by the majority of its citizens.

Since joining, it has received hundreds of millions of euros from the EU, attested by the signs all over the island.

Membership does not mean you can cherry pick EU membership burdens and benefits but that the EU decides as a legislative body on behalf of all EU membership states.

You like the money you get for the appalling roads, so you have to also accept EU law in regards to irregular migration.

Either you want to be EU members or not. If not then renounce your EU membership. But I think pigs will fly sooner than this will happen.

m azzopardi

Jul 23rd 2009, 21:24

i agree with Phil..they all say they worked in Libya before coming here,so by sending them back to Libya they will surely find a job!!!

lgalea

Jul 23rd 2009, 21:02

Barrot is in no position to order us what we should do with illegal immigrants. If he wants to he can take them to his own country and keep them at his own expense because we are fed up with them and their antics and fed up with the eu interfering in our internal affairs.

John Borg We are under NO obligation to take in illegal immigrants. They have crossed through many countries where they could have claimed asylum and while the 1951 does not apply to them, even if it applied they have lost the right to claim asylum since they must do so in the first country they arrive directly in. NONE of them came directly to Malta and even then they still have no right to claim it under the 1951 Convention. This is apart from having lived and worked for years in Libya.

Raymond Sammut

Jul 23rd 2009, 20:28

Mr Barrot needs to be reminded of the approximately 500 drownings that took place only last January just off the Libyan coast. He obviously has a short memory. Among those who drowned were reported to have been women and children. His stance with Italy is identical to that of UNHCR and is the cause that led to these drownings, and will cause further drownings because it contradicts SOLAS regulations with which EU laws also comply. With his stance, Mr Barrot -- like UNHCR -- has these drownings very much on his conscience. The legal issue that Mr Barrot, and those who share in his stance, would have to face in court would be the fact that the risk to human life is far greater on an illegal boat in the open sea rather than if remaining on Libyan soil. Mr Barrot must remember this. No-one is known to have been killed in Libya by the Libyan authorities, but 500 are known to have drowned just off the Libyan coast last January alone. Mr Barrot, not returning illegal entrants to Libya, even if they ask for protection, amounts to condoning the illegal act of breaking SOLAS regulations and endangering human life.

Mike Farrugia

Jul 23rd 2009, 20:21

I suppose Alfred Sant was right after all. We should have voted NO to EU. Give me half a chance now and that is what I would do.

Denis Catania

Jul 23rd 2009, 20:16

Malta needs to vote NO on every thing every time we get an opportunity. Use the veto power that we have.

v.pulis

Jul 23rd 2009, 20:07

According to Mr. Barrot it (Italy) could not return immigrants to countries where their life was threatened. Italy is sending migrants back to Libya. Does this maen that libya is threatening these migrants with their lives and if in the affirmative what is Mr. Barrot and the international community doing about it?

Sandro Pace

Jul 23rd 2009, 20:05

Exactly Lina Gauci. Sahha waqfu.......And then they want EU citizens to trust their unelected commission. No way. The inception of the EU was a mistake. What a cheek? He forces southern countries to accept massive migration, but then he is against voluntary burden sharing.

I hope Malta and Italy defy the commission instead of chickening out. The Italians voted maroni and not barrot. Massive migration cannot be stopped without denying protection.
Massive migration in malta will inevitably cause social tensions.

European people are confused people, that lacks leaders which lead by brains.

m.seager

Jul 23rd 2009, 19:43

i didn't realise that libya was killing returned illegal immigrants or a least threatening their lives!!!!

Anthony Magri

Jul 23rd 2009, 19:41

Has not France rounded up and still round up illegal immigrants and sent them back and of course looking for those who ply(?) the human trade

Mark Vella

Jul 23rd 2009, 19:41

We cant accept them! Since we sent the boats back we have a great decline in illegal immigration. If this is the solution to illegal immigration then we need to continue sending them back!

We dont need any EU Justice Commissioners telling us what the solution is now that we know it!

We're full Mr. Barrot! If you want to accept them all to your country then do so! but not Malta!

Lina Gauci

Jul 23rd 2009, 19:29

Thank you Mr Barrot. You are sending illegal immigrants an open invitation to invade any Europeon country any time they wish to do so. And the inhabitants of the countries they choose to come to, cannot defend themselves against this invasion. They are expected to welcome them, provide them with accomodation, feed and clothe them at the expence of the tax-payer. What is the use of spending money on Frontex? What is it supposed to be doing if it cannot turn back those who are entering european countries illegally? How many more africans can Europe absorb? This attitude is a sure recipe for disaster.

P Attard

Jul 23rd 2009, 19:29

The vast majority - if not all - of the illegal immigrants never intend to come and stay in Malta. Does Malta have any right or duty to keep them here openly against their wish and their explicit intention? Therefore, would it not be more proper helping them to continue their journey if they so wish?

Noel Cutajar

Jul 23rd 2009, 19:25

EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot should get facts right first. How can a person who has been living in Libya for a number of years feel that his life is threatened if sent back? Therefore if this is the case, then one would expect boatloads of Libyans rather then illegal immigrants from sub-sahara regions.

John Borg

Jul 23rd 2009, 19:16

Jonathan: the EU Commissioner is not laying down any law. He is simply reminding Italy that it should live up to its own obligations. It is not the EU Commissioner's fault if Italy now chooses to break the very same regulations that it signed up to. Italy (or Malta for that matter) cannot obey the law only when it is convenient to do so.

Phil Humphries

Jul 23rd 2009, 18:52

If recent reports are accurate, then it seems that illegal immigrants are no longer safe in Malta; therefore they should not remain.

My interpretation of Mr Barrot's comments is that it is in order to send illegal immigrants back to the place from whence they sailed, just as long as their lives are not in danger there.
If these economic migrant's lives were not under threat in Libya before they sailed to Europe, why then should their lives be threatened if and when they are sent back there?

Anyone got a spare ferry?

m azzopardi

Jul 23rd 2009, 18:42

how cheecky of Mr Barrot!!! So Italy cannot send the boats back and obligatory burden sharing is not possible.
Is he telling us between the lines that he wants Italy and Malta to be invaded by illegal immigrants because according to him we cannot turn them back and rightly so no other EU country wants them!?!?!
I am sure that the traffickers are popping the champagne bottles by now!!!

Jonathan de Maria

Jul 23rd 2009, 18:32

Before laying down the law as to what Malta and Italy should do with ILLEGAL immigrants, the EU should first compel all member states to take a pro rata share of these people that arrive illegally, irrespective of whether they are seeking humanitarian protection or simply a new life with better economic prospects.

A. Borg

Jul 23rd 2009, 18:13

Jacques Barrot, the people of Malta will find no problem in sending the imigrants to your country.You can keep them and don't sent them back1!
First you are warning countries like Italy not to send imigrants back to their countries and at the same time you said that obbligatory burden sharing was not possible.In other words you're telling us to keep them!

mario gellel

Jul 23rd 2009, 18:10

Is this an alarm bell from Mr Barrot to all illigal immigrants telling them they are free to enter anywhere in the EU without any problems??
If so, we must embace ourselves for a bigger invasion.
Thanks Mr. Barrot