Italy donates three patrol boats to Libyan navy
Italy has donated three patrol boats to the Libyan navy as part of a cooperation agreement signed between the countries to stem illegal migration from the North African state.
The donation was announced by Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni. The fast boats were donated by the Guardia di Finanza and are in addition to another three boats donated in May last year.
Sources said that apart from the boats Libya also received a number of vehicles as part of the agreement.
Italy and Libya started joint sea patrols last year and migrants rescued at sea were forcibly returned to Libya, a policy heavily criticised by the UN as being in breach of migrants' human rights. However, the policy is likely to be sustained as Italy saw a 74 per cent drop in immigrant arrivals on its shores last year.
The patrol boat donation comes hot on the heels of an announcement that Russia is to supply Libya with small arms and other weapons to the value of €1.3 billion.
The deal was signed at the end of January but Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gave no details of the arms covered by the contract. Speculation was rife in Russia that it could have included fighter planes, tanks and an air defence system.
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Joe Morana
Feb 13th 2010, 13:28
Lately readers of this newspaper have been reading of the increasing numbers of illegal immigrants being returned back to Malta because they had broken EU cross-border transit regulations. Nothing is ever reported about how these criminals manage to obtain false identification papers, the money to pay for travel, and who facilitates their 'escape' from Malta. It is obvious Maltese authorities no longer control who leaves or enters Malta. Neither do the authorities have any clue as to who really roams Malta's streets, and whether they have any right to be here in the first place.
sean grima
Feb 13th 2010, 13:24
50% of those arriving between 2005 and 2009 were repatriated. what makes you think that 100% of those arriving in 2005 remained here? these statistics show how much anti-immigrant people are exaggerating the situation, in order to create an impression of an "invasion" and justify their stance.
louise vella
Feb 13th 2010, 08:53
Malta has benefitted immensely from the agreement between Italy and Libya. Illegal immigrants entering Malta illegally in 2009 were half the number in 2008. But this should not be a cause for complacency. Every illegal immigrant coming to Malta now has to stay here, because the safety valve of escape to Italy has been shut. We keep reading in our newspapers of illegal immigrants being sent back to Malta after they escape.
Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici said that in the 5 years, 2005 to 2009, nearly 10 000 illegal immigrants arrived of which 5000 were repatriated. But he did not say in which month and year and to which countries. Besides another 5000 illegal immigrants arrived before 2005. This explains the increasing numbers of illegal immigrants we see roaming the streets of our towns and villages. There must be at least 10 000 of them.
GonziPN must embark on a determined policy of repatriation to lower the numbers. Besides Libya is volatile. If it quarrels with Italy it may put an end to the agreement and the influx of illegal immigrants will start again. So there is not much to be happy about.