The government yesterday called on the EU to discuss developments in Arab states after Lampedusa was inundated with Tunisian migrants
Justice Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici wrote to the EU presidency and Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom to express concern.
He said Malta was backing calls by Italy for the forthcoming meeting of EU Justice Ministers to discuss the impact of developments in north Africa on immigration.
According to the UN refugee agency that is monitoring the situation, Malta could be a landing point for Tunisian migrants who are fleeing in large numbers to Lampedusa.
The Armed Forces of Malta has stepped up patrols around the island as Italy declared a “humanitarian emergency” after some 3,000 Tunisian migrants landed in Lampedusa – the Italian island some 170 km southwest of Malta – in just two days.
“Given the unstable situation in recent weeks one cannot rule out that Malta may also be affected,” the local office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees said.
The uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia were leading to a “mass flight” to Italian shores by undocumented immigrants, Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni was reported saying.
The UNHCR said it was still assessing the reasons behind the Tunisians’ movements, and whether they belonged to a particular group or were linked to the old regime.
Taking into consideration the situation in Tunisia, there was no reason to conclude that the majority of Tunisian immigrants were in need of international protection, the UNHCR said. However, the agency said it expected the authorities to have the means and experience to handle the situation should they reach Malta.
First and foremost, people in distress at sea should be rescued without any consideration of status or background, it said.
The recent influx of migrants into Italy comes after a calm period in the region following the controversial 2008 agreement between Italy and Libya to return would-be migrants without first screening them for asylum.
Although recent events give rise for concern, Malta’s Ambassador to Tunisia Vicky-Ann Cremona said it would be difficult to predict whether Tunisians would continue to flee the country.
It was surprising people were leaving, she said, seeing that the situation had become stable in most areas except the economy, which was still recovering.
“The situation is much calmer. People have returned to work and the transitory government is organising itself to announce a date for the next elections,” she said.