"The Italian authorities did not allow a Maltese patrol boat to enter national territorial waters and berth in Lampedusa with 66 non-EU persons aboard. This was learnt from high command, port authorities. The migrants had been rescued by a Tunisian fishing vessel while they were on a dinghy drifting in waters within Maltese jurisdiction. The patrol boat subsequently sailed away toward Malta." Thus ran the news in the Italian media.
These events must necessarily lead to a fresh controversy between Malta and Italy after Italy refused entry to Lampedusa to the Maltese patrol boat which had picked up the migrants just 24 miles off the Italian island.
The whole issue must be urgently tackled at European Parliament level. Italy does not seem too intent on keeping her word on promised cooperation with Malta.
The fact that migrants were picked up from a dinghy which was drifting after having run out of fuel some 30 nautical miles off Lampedusa speaks for itself. That Malta had to give in to Italian bullying tactics even after EU Home Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot had agreed that the migrants should be taken to the closest harbour can only be attributed to Italy's decision to be hostile to us notwithstanding ongoing talks between the two foreign ministries.
The gravity of the situation stands out when one considers that in the latest case, the location of the migrants was four times closer to Lampedusa than to Malta. So much for Simon Busuttil's intimation that we are making headway in the quarters that matter.
There is no doubt that we're on our own. What makes matters worse is that this is really just the beginning of the "crossing" season, the "invasion" can only get worse. Concurrently we are informed that Italian and Libyan patrols will start soon. These patrols, it is said, will ensure that the illegal immigrants will not go anywhere near the Italian coast. There is no need to wrack one's mind for an alternative safe place. Small wonder Maltese citizens are growing more apprehensive and Dr Gonzi's perennial smile is starting to fade from his cheeks.
It is utterly useless to keep harping that the government should remember that it was elected to safeguard Maltese interests and its main duty is towards us not to Italy or the illegal immigrants.
The Maltese electorate must wake up to realities and clamour for real and effective EU intervention in this urgent matter. The place where this issue must be tackled with the urgency and insistence it deserves is the European Parliament.