MEP Marlene Mizzi had strong words about the lack of support from the EU in the case of the influx of irregular immigrants which Malta is facing.

Speaking during her intervention in the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Ms Mizzi said "leaving Malta to solve the problem on its own goes against the spirit of the union".

She called on the European Union to immediately introduce a mandatory system of relocation as soon as possible.

Ms Mizzi also referred to the reply given to her parliamentary question on the amount of help that Malta is given by other member states on irregular migration.

In her reply Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said that even she was quite disappointed at the lack of willingness and concrete help given to Malta by other member states to deal with the problem of irregular immigrants.

Ms Mizzi said: "It is very easy for countries to criticise and pander from the comfort of their home. The reality, however, is that very few countries have offered any concrete help to Malta in order to alleviate the problem of irregular migration".

She concluded that if there was a real commitment by the European Union and the European Parliament to solve this human tragedy, "then we must insist that the relocation of irregular migration is done on a mandatory and not on a voluntary basis.

"It is time that the solidarity about which we talk so much about transforms itself from mere words into on an effective and concrete action."