Kurt Sansone
Immigration still a priority for Malta and Italy
Malta and Italy would continue to insist that illegal immigration be taken up at an EU level even though the flow of migrants had abated, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday on his return from Rome.
Dr Gonzi met his Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi during a whirlwind trip to Rome during which the two countries discussed foreign policy, defence and home affairs issues.
During the meeting, the Italians did not reiterate last year's request to take over Malta's search and rescue area, Dr Gonzi said when asked.
He said Malta's stand on the anti-migration patrols by Frontex had not changed and the country would not participate in the operations as long as the rules of engagement did not change.
The rules laid down that rescued migrants were to be taken to the country hosting the operation, something which Malta disagreed with.
However, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, who, along with Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, accompanied Dr Gonzi, said both countries would pressure the EU to make the repatriation of immigrants to their country of origin the principle remit of Frontex.
Dr Borg said even the Italians were sceptical of Frontex because they did not want to upset the balance achieved through their agreement with Libya.
The bilateral agreement, which among others includes the immediate repatriation of rescued migrants to Libya, came into force last year and, ever since, Malta and Italy witnessed a drastic drop in immigrant arrivals.
During the meeting in Rome, both countries reaffirmed their strong relations and discussed the possibility of Mr Berlusconi visiting Malta.
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Sean Grima
Jul 9th 2010, 12:18
waste of words, considering none of the options can be put into practice, since they all are in violation of maltese and international law.
lgalea
Jul 9th 2010, 23:14
Sean Grima Can you tell us since when you have become an eggspert in Maltese and International Law?
Sean Grima
Jul 12th 2010, 09:25
since a few years back
Louise Vella
Jul 9th 2010, 10:07
"At an EU level" means that the Swedes, led by Cecilia Malmstrom, EU Commissioner for illegal immigrants, should take a few thousand of our illegal immigrants instead of just preaching to us.
"Repatriation of illegal immigrants to their country of origin the principle remit of Frontex". No - the second remit! The first remit of Frontex should be to become a coastguard to dissuade the boats from coming and, if they come, to push them back to Libya. That way Frontex will defend the frontiers of southern Europe. Repatriation is the next step because we have thousands of illegal immigrants in Malta who use Malta as a stepping stone to go further north. If the northern European countries do not want them, and we do not want them either (and they do not want us because they're always trying to escape), then the only option is to send them south to the countries they come from.
Moses Mula
Jul 9th 2010, 11:55
Louise Vella, 13% of the swedish population was not even born in Sweden, and that includes thousands upon thousands of immigrants. How do the statistics read for Malta? From your comments it sounds like the percentage is much higher. Sweden has taken more Iraqis than America and Canada put together. Last time I checked the United States has a population of 300 million while Sweden has 9 million. Furthermore the United States was the main actor in the Iraqi war. So should Sweden protest? No, bacause human beings are more than simple than statistics. If you has a problem with the traficking of people and the money made by these trafickers I would understand, but your problem seems to be immigrants, legal or not. Malta`s geographical position is what it is. We have the sun while in Sweden it snows like 5 months of the year. Is that unfair? And when you say preaching, do you mean someone telling you to abide to international law? Berlusconi and Gaddafi do not give a hoot about international law. Berlusconi and his right-wing goverment do not even give pay their share to poorer countries. Says a lot about them.
CZARB
Jul 9th 2010, 14:47
Sweden can afford such policy. Malta due to its size, its lack of resources and its overpopulation problem cannot afford that.
lgalea
Jul 9th 2010, 23:16
Louise Vella You are perfectly correct Louise, but the problem is that we have a pair of string hands for a Prime Minister and the crap eu with its idiotic one-eize-fits-all policies.
Sean Grima
Jul 12th 2010, 12:44
if the EU were to be anti-immigrant, lawrence galea would be attacking it for that!