Malta risks isolation at the negotiation table thanks to the Government’s “shocking” plans to deport a group of migrants to Libya, according to the Nationalist Party.

In attempting to take illegal measures Malta risks being isolated at the negotiating table

“This has done untold damage to Malta’s reputation on an international level. This is not in the national interest,” the party said.

It added that Nationalist governments had always sought to find solutions to the immigration challenge around the negotiating table where it obtained “concrete results”.

“Unfortunately, the Government’s shocking actions (on Tuesday) have taken Malta in the opposite direction. In attempting to take illegal measures and using human beings as a bargaining chip, Malta now risks being isolated at the negotiating table,” a PN spokesman told Times of Malta.

The spokesman pointed out that the PN government once threatened to use the veto if burden-sharing was not included in the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum. This was not the same thing as threatening to use the veto for unrelated topics as Joseph Muscat had said he would do.

“By keeping up the pressure on the European agenda, the Maltese Government will, no doubt, continue to raise awareness on this issue at an EU level. The Nationalist Party is committed to supporting the Government within these clear parameters,” it said.

It added that among the concrete results obtained in the past were the allocation of €130 million in EU funds to strengthen Malta’s air and maritime operations, purchase modern equipment and improve the country’s infrastructure to deal with this challenge.

“The Maltese Government also managed to add the concept of voluntary burden-sharing in the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, which has led to the resettlement of about 700 immigrants to other EU member states. This is over and above the resettlement of 1,300 migrants to the United States.”