European Council President Herman Van Rompuy told a special sitting of the House of Representatives this afternoon that Malta's concerns about migration were being heard by the European Union.
In his address, Mr Van Rompuy paid tribute to Malta's history and praised Malta for its role in the Libyan crisis, a situation which showed how the island could punch above its weight.
Malta had many success stories, he said, including new businesses, new infrastructure, new opportunities for students, better educational facilities and cleaner seas.
Malta, he said, had stood by the other members of the eurozone in their problems because the members of the eurozone had joint responsibility and close economies.
He said completing the Banking Union remained a priority to make the economies more resilient to support growth.
High energy bills were bad for households and businesses, he said. Malta was not alone on this issue and joint action by the member states could help ease this problem by creating a true single European energy market and a single grid. Progress was being made in this area. Progress also needed to be made on diversification of energy sources.
Malta would continue to benefit from the EU on the electrical interconnection with Sicily.
Turning to migration, Mr Van Rompuy quoted Pope Francis when he said that immigrants were dying at sea on boats, which from vehicles of hope had become vehicles of death.
He knew that the situation was far from easy for Malta." I would like to assure you that your concerns are being heard," he said.
He said the EU was continuing to support Malta financially.
The EU was also engaged in structural and operational efforts including a common asylum system, a border system and a new regulation on the surveillance of sea borders, and it needed to ensured that these translated into tangible support.
Lasting progress would not happen overnight, he said, although time was pressing. Progress could come from working together and in dialogue with the countries of origin and that was what had happened when talks were held today with the Libyan deputy prime minister.
One had to deal with migration in a humane and effective way, he said.
PRIME MINISTER TO DISCUSS MIGRATION WITH ITALIAN PM
In his reply Prime Minister Joseph Muscat started by speaking on the financial talks in the EU. He said that while countries should work together, sovereign decision making should continue to be respected.
Europe, he said, needed to pull the reins on fiscal discipline while ensuring that the rules were flexible enough to permit economic growth.
He agreed with the president's remarks on the energy sector, reiterating that a government priority remained to bring prices down to make the economy more competitive, with economic growth contributing to narrowing the deficit.
Referring to the talks they held about migration, Dr Muscat said that as he spoke, the AFM was monitoring boats carrying 500 people. This was a human tragedy.
But in the area of migration, the Maltese people felt abandoned and alone. EU funds had been allocated to Malta, but this was not enough.
Malta had continued to show solidarity. Unfortunately for others, migration disappeared from their radar. Europe was agile in helping the banks when they were sinking, but it needed to be far more agile in helping people who were drowning. The problem had to be tackled at source.
The members of the Maltese parliament had unanimously voted to contribute the equivalent of three per cent of GDP to countries facing the financial crisis, but now Malta needed help - to be the voice of those who had no voice.
He understood the positions of other countries, Dr Muscat said, but solidarity needed to be clear and concrete. Malta had proposed solutions which involved Libya as well as the EU as a partner. And one could see Libya's willingness, through the presence of its deputy prime minister.
Dr Muscat said he would discuss the proposals with the Italian Prime Minister. The talks would focus on the way all sides could work together so that problem would not sink under the 'globalisation of indifference', as the Pope had said.
Malta, he said, would be a reasonable, but firm partner.
He said that in the EU, Malta would work for closer relations between the EU and North African countries and this would also be one of the priorities of Malta's EU presidency.
HUMAN RIGHTS APPLY TO ALL, WHETHER THEY ARRIVE ON DINGHIES OR CRUISE SHIPS - BUSUTTIL
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil expressed pride at the extraordinary economic and social change made in Malta since accession to the EU. Everybody, he said, had benefited from EU membership. This year alone, in the first three months, economic growth was the biggest in the eurozone, and unemployment was the lowest.
Since EU membership, Malta had been allocated €2.5 billion in EU funds, and they had been used to change the face of Malta.
"We are proud to be Malta because Malta is an extraordinary country with a long, rich history and strong values, hospitable and always welcoming and respectful the foreigners, especially when they need help," Dr Busuttil said.
He said the Maltese rejected racism and xenophobia. Human rights, he said, applied to all people and not some. Human rights were universal without distinction of race, ethnic rights or whether one arrived in Malta on a dinghy or a cruise liner.
Because of such respect for human rights, he was proud that Malta had saved some 700 people from drowning this week. And because it respected human rights, the Opposition disagreed with the government's decision to try to repatriate them in breach of their rights.
Dr Busuttil said he was convinced that national interests could be best safeguarded with the force of conviction through dialogue, not the threat of veto.
Malta, he said, was facing a wave of immigration as had been faced in the past 10 years. The destination of these immigrants was not so much Malta, but the European continent. Malta was doing its duty by rescuing these people on the high seas as it was obliged to do. But Malta was being left alone in caring for these migrants when this was a responsibility which should be shouldered by all.
"Because we are European we expect Europe to show effective solidarity," he said and the Opposition would back the government in seeking solidarity while respecting human rights, humanity and values, Dr Busuttil said.
He urged Mr Van Rompuy to help Malta in this regard.