Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has formally warned that he planned to stamp his feet at EU level unless Malta was given concrete solidarity on irregular immigration.

Hours after a boat with 291 African migrants was rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta, Dr Muscat called EU Council president Herman Van Rompuy to give him “formal notice” of Malta’s intentions.

“We will be compassionate with those who are vulnerable but strong with politicians. We will take all necessary steps to defend the national interest,” Dr Muscat told the press from the doors of Castille, echoing statements he made as Opposition leader.

“Malta will use all the legitimate powers at its disposal to express its lack of satisfaction on this issue... This is not business as usual for us,” he added.

He denied that he was being alarmist, saying he was actually “in line” with the public’s thoughts on the matter.

“You can call me tough or heartless... but we want the same concrete solidarity that was used to save the banks and the monetary union: exceptional mechanisms for exceptional situations.

This approach will isolate Malta from other EU states - PN

“This is the Mediterranean crisis,” he said, as Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia gave details of the rescue operation performed the night before.

Dr Mallia said seven of the migrants had to be hospitalised, including two who had sustained gunshot wounds after allegedly escaping from a detention centre in Libya.

The boat carrying the migrants (including 48 women) had to be rescued because its motor had stopped working and was taking in water, ending up on the brink of sinking, said Dr Mallia.

Dr Muscat stressed that the migrants were rescued because of these “exceptional circumstances”.

He did not say what would have happened if the migrants were not at risk of drowning.

However, when asked whether he excluded use of the controversial push-back policy (once adopted by Italy and Muammar Gaddafi’s regime), he said: “I do not exclude it, as long as Libya is deemed a safe country.”

The Nationalist Party said Dr Muscat’s statement smacked of populism and “a cheap attempt to gain popularity and to appear decisive in blatant disregard of the suffering of those who arrived overnight”.

“If the Prime Minister thinks he will win support at European level by using threats, he has another thing coming. This approach goes against the basic premises on which the European Union is built and will isolate Malta from the other EU member states,” it added.

The Labour Party said the Government was committed to using “legitimate methods” to make its voice heard within the European Commission so countries like Malta would be helped while ensuring fundamental human rights.

It accused the PN of trying to hinder the Government in its defence of the national interest.

Meanwhile, the UN’s refugee agency praised Malta and Italy for rescuing some 800 migrants from four crowded vessels on Wednesday.

The UNHCR pointed out that asylum seekers in Libya were at risk of “exploitation, arrest and indefinite detention”, with reports describing a context of lawlessness and impunity.

“In this situation it is evident that forced return or push-back of asylum seekers to Libya is not an option, as this would constitute a breach of international law,” it said.

Malta received 600 asylum seekers so far this year, while almost 200 of those who were granted protection were settled in the US and other countries offering support.

“The number of arrivals in Malta in 2013 is lower when compared with the same period last year. Nevertheless, while the country has managed to establish an effective asylum procedure, the irregular arrival of asylum seekers continues to present significant challenges for Malta.”

The UNHCR said it was ready to support further steps by the new Government to address and manage the situation in a “comprehensive” manner.

However, it pointed out that Malta’s calls for additional support were more likely to success on the basis of a clear definition of Malta’s own capacity and planned contribution in the coming years.

“‘Malta is too small’ is not likely to go very far as a standalone argument,” it added.