Opposition to European Commission proposals to fight illegal migration in Europe is rapidly gaining momentum.
Hundreds of immigrants yesterday marched in front of the European Parliament in Brussels calling on MEPs to dump the proposals, known as the Return Directive. The EP is expected to vote on the proposals next month.
Demonstrators carried placards against the directive calling it "outrageous". Pictures of detention centres where illegal immigrants are kept, including those of the Safi detention centre in Malta, were displayed.
MEPs from one of the political groups in the EP, the European United Left/ Nordic Green Left (GEU/NGL), also joined the demonstrators. Group President Francis Wurtz accused the EU of being a hypocrite when dealing with illegal immigration.
"The European Union is hypocritical on immigration, asserting on the one hand its need for migrant workers yet, on the other, refusing them entry into the EU.
"We are particularly concerned that the situation will deteriorate even further during the forthcoming French presidency," he said.
Giusto Catania, vice president of the Civil Liberties Committee of the EP, said the directive is disgraceful because it criminalises migration and sanctions administrative detention of up to 18 months for illegal migrants.
"The directive also establishes the possibility of deporting migrants to countries of transit, a principle that was condemned by the European Parliament some years ago on the occasion of deportations of migrants from Lampedusa (Italy) to Libya."
Meanwhile, amendments adopted by the Civil Liberties Committee last week will mean that the directive will not apply to illegal immigrants crossing to Europe from North Africa, as is the case with Malta. Speaking to a group of Maltese journalists following a seminar on the directive in Brussels, Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil, also a member of the committee, said that, if adopted by the plenary and member states, the amendments will mean that Malta's policy on illegal immigration will remain the same as it is today.
Dr Busuttil explained that, according to these amendments, the directive will only apply to third-country nationals staying illegally in the territory of a member state and will not apply to illegal immigrants refused entry on attempt of irregular crossings. The draft Return Directive provides for the extension of administrative or judicial detention of illegal immigrants to 18 months. It also provides for a five-year ban from Europe for all people who have been expelled.
Malta detention policy currently caters for a maximum detention period of 18-months, applicable to all those entering Malta's territory illegally.