Unprecedented public pressure has prompted political willingness to tackle the migration catastrophe, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this afternoon.  

“The proposals are a rehash of what we’ve heard in the past.  What’s different is there’s more political willingness. There’s a changed political climate. Is it enough? It is never enough,” Dr Muscat said. 

The prime minister was speaking to reporters before joining his European counterparts for an emergency summit after 1,750 migrants died in the Mediterranean sea this year. 

Asked if the EU had let Malta down, Dr Muscat replied: "It’s letting human beings down. We will continue doing our job. We will continue giving 100 per cent of our limited military assets. What’s really important is that I sense a changed political climate. I think the real news today is there’s political backing to the proposal to go after the criminals who are managing this network.”

Questioned whether he felt it was risky for European states to take direct action in Libya, he replied it was riskier if nothing was done.

Meanwhile, an EU diplomat told timesofmalta.com that the budget for Frontex's Operation Triton is expected to be tripled to embellish rescue operations in the Mediterranean. However, he said there were still divergences between countries over whether EU states should share the number of refugees.

Europe’s main response to the drowning of hundreds of migrants in the Mediterranean this week will be to crack down on smuggling rings, European Council President Donald Tusk said, suggesting governments are unlikely to support a major expansion of sea rescue operations.

Meanwhile, an interfaith funeral was held in Malta for 24 victims, the only ones whose bodies have been recovered so far from a ship in which many are believed to have been locked in below deck.