Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this morning that the government is still ready to use its veto if it was not satisfied with the way the EU and member states treated Malta with regard to migration.

Addressing the press after a visit to the offices of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Marsa, Dr Muscat said that the government was not satisfied with the way the EU, particularly certain member states, were dealing with solidarity in migration, and the government had already abstained on some issues.

“With our abstentions, Malta has already given its signal as to how it is viewing certain things.”

Asked by timesofmalta.com whether Malta still intended using its veto on unrelated measures to force the EU to help on migration, Dr Muscat said that what he used to say in opposition still remains valid.

“There are no holds barred on this issue,” he said.

“If need be we’ll use our veto on unrelated EU measures to make sure that the EU listens to our demands.”

In opposition, Labour was very critical of the government for not insisting on more solidarity on migration and had suggested that Malta should block unrelated EU initiatives to force the EU member states act on more solidarity.

Since joining the EU Malta never used its veto to block EU initiatives.

The Prime Minister said that while Malta was satisfied with the Commission’s efforts vis-a-vis migration, the government hoped to convince member states on the need for more concrete action.

A few weeks ago, following objections by member states, the Commission ditched plans to put on a permanent basis an intra-EU relocation programme for asylum seekers and persons with international protection in the EU.

Dr Muscat also said he was in favour of a push-back policy as long as the migrants made it to a safe harbour.