I refer to Lino Bugeja’s opinion piece ‘The migratory illusion’ (July 28).

It is important to be clear that the suggested proposal to conduct a “benign pushback operation” is not only illegal by international and European law but it is neither in the interest of any stakeholder, least of all the many refugees fleeing from persecution and war. There is also no such thing as a “benign pushback” since, by its very nature, the breach of the non-refoulement principle - would imply sending many individuals into the hands of hostile actors, namely smugglers, without the fundamental human right of seeking asylum.

One should be reminded that the European Court of Human Rights sanctioned the Italian government for precisely applying a “pushback” policy. Since then, Italy has been on the front line in saving thousands of lives.

Bugeja makes a number of wrong assertions based on flawed premises. For instance, he is under the wrong impression that most individuals migrating to the EU are from sub-Saharan countries. The reality is that many are Syrians, Eritreans and Afghans fleeing war and persecution. The hard fact is no one chooses to be a refugee.

People who make the dangerous journey of crossing deserts and sea do not do so because they are of “hardy stock” but because there is no other way to access protection or a safe country. This year alone some 3,000 are dead or missing in the Mediterranean Sea.

The 1951 Refugee Convention was created to find a solution for the millions of displaced Europeans fleeing the devastation of World War II.

The UNHCR continues to reiterate its call for legal channels to the many people seeking protection from war and persecution.

We call for a managed, sensible and humane approach that reflects the European heritage of human rights as opposed to an emergency one.