The government said this afternoon that its continued efforts had managed to put illegal immigration at the top of the EU agenda.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said Malta would continue to work in all EU fora for solidarity and responsibility sharing among the member states of the EU, and decisions would continue to be taken by the government in the national interest.
The ministry was replying to a statement issued earlier by the MLP.
The ministry said its was its policy of persuasion, notably under the EU's French presidency, that had led to illegal immigration being given a high profile in the EU, where an Immigration Pact was being discussed. It was thanks to political commitment and pressure by the Maltese government that the EU was now considering responsibility sharing, something which the MLP had referred to in its statement.
The government would continue to work hard in this sector, taking decisions in Malta’s best interests and keeping the Opposition informed of developments.
This was a national problem which had to be solved through wide action and not words.
Earlier, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said that illegal immigration had become a “national crisis” and unless European leaders agreed to help Malta through resources and better regulations, Malta should reject the proposed Immigration Pact.
In a joint statement with Opposition Home Affairs spokesman Michael Falzon, Dr Muscat said that despite assurances before the summer that measures would be taken for Malta not to shoulder burdens it could not bear, facts showed the contrary. The number of immigrant arrivals this year was a record, up 30 percent over last year.
The solution, they said, was not to to mistreat the migrants or to let them drown. What was needed was a strong political will. Once what had been promised had not come about, the government needed to move from words to action by taking a firm stand in the EU structures, starting this week during the EU talks on new regulations on immigration.
Alternattiva Demokratika in a separate statement also is urging the Maltese government to take a strong stance at this week's negotiations on new regulations on migration. "If the other EU leaders do not agree to responsibility sharing, Prime Minister Gonzi should have absolutely no doubts and should go ahead in vetoing any proposed text", AD leader Arnold Cassola said.
The Nationalist Party in a reaction to the MLP statement said the government was working on the illegal immigration issue in all EU fora.
The PN pointed out that the Prime Minister had announced last Saturday that the government was working on a proposal for the EU to have a mechanism for the relocation of migrants as is the case in the United States.
Through this proposal, Malta expected to see the implementation of the principle of burden-sharing. The proposal is to be discussed this week by European Justice and Home Affairs Ministers.
“The Nationalist Party appeals for this issue to be tackled in a mature, progressive, moderate and serious manner and without artificial and childish politics which try to ride on the racist sentiments which some unfortunately harbour,” the PN said.