Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici was satisfied with the outcome of a day-long meeting in Brussels during which, he said, Malta managed to persuade many EU countries to pledge support should there be an exodus of asylum seekers from Libya.
Without naming any names, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said “many member states assured us they would step in to help in case of difficulty.”
He said “the majority of EU member states took our demands seriously and pledged their concrete intervention to all southern member states that might be hit.”
Malta, along with France, Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Greece, yesterday took a common stand at an EU council meeting and made a formal request to their European partners to devise an emergency plan in view of the turmoil in Libya.
They asked for the setting up of a burden-sharing mechanism, so any eventual asylum seekers from Libya could be temporarily relocated to all the 27 member states, an emergency solidarity fund and a boost to Frontex’s capabilities to become more effective in the area.
Frontex is estimating one million asylum seekers or refugees could start arriving in Europe as a consequence of the uprising in Libya.
Sources close to the meeting, held behind closed-doors, said that, although the majority of member states agreed in principle, others, particularly northern states, kept insisting they would not be in a position to take any asylum seekers. Sweden was singled out with its minister insisting Malta and Italy are “exaggerating”. Asked whether the pledges made could just be the usual rhetoric, Dr Mifsud Bonnici admitted it was an uphill struggle but insisted member states were warming up to the idea. “We didn’t come here and expect that what we have been insisting upon for the past years will be suddenly agreed in a day,” he said.
“We have to be realistic. However, I feel progress is being made and I am confident more member states are now coming on board.”
Praising Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom for showing to be “on top of her brief”, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said the Commission was well aware of the risks of a civil war breaking out in Libya.
Thus, it would be kick-starting a Solidarity Fund – originally proposed by Malta – to be used immediately by member states that find themselves in trouble.
Speaking at the end of the meeting, Ms Malmstrom, a Swede, played down the Libyan threat and avoided the issue of burden sharing even when persistently asked about this issue.
“We have different instruments at our disposal but we shouldn’t trigger an emergency that has not happened yet,” she said.