The EU needed to adopt a paradigm shift solution to the migration issue, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Monday, insisting previous ‘solutions’ had been unsuccessful.
Addressing a meeting of the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee, ahead of the upcoming EU summit later this month, Dr Muscat said that the union had “been there, done that” on many of the proposals to the migration issue.
“We do not want to repeat past initiatives. This would be going full circle,” he said.
Although he did not pronounce himself on what sort of solution he was hoping for, Dr Muscat said direct action in third countries had proven somewhat successful. Highlighting EU efforts in frontier countries such as Chad and Niger, Dr Muscat said the efforts in “hot spot countries” had come at the same time as the central Mediterranean route saw a 78 per cent drop in migrant arrivals.
The efforts in “hot spot countries” had come at the same time as the central Mediterranean route saw a 78 per cent drop in migrant arrivals
He also hinted at potential lobbying for a review of definitions of asylum seekers and economic migrants and the way these people were processed.
Rumblings of an overhaul to the Dublin Regulations - the EU’s rules which lay out how countries process migrant arrivals - were not likely, Dr Muscat said, insisting he did not have high hopes for a conclusive agreement between member states on the matter in the upcoming summit.
Malta’s position during the recent migration showdown with Italy had been consistent with what the island had always done.
“There has been no knee-jerk reaction on our part. We didn't make any changes to what we did five years ago. And, we are still compassionate,” Dr Muscat said, insisting Malta was one of a few countries that participated in burden-sharing activities.
Fielding questions from reporters after the meeting, Dr Muscat said he did not believe there was one solution to the migration problem, but rather that a multi-dimensional approach was needed.
Funding
The summit will also see Malta continue in negotiations for its next batch of EU funding.
Last month the Times of Malta reported how Malta was set tolose nearly €200 million in EU funding due to the island’s booming economy, making it one of the EU’s biggest Cohesion Fund losers.
On Monday morning, Dr Muscat said he would rather negotiate from a position of strength rather than as a beggar. He said Malta had held good preliminary meetings and discussions on the matter, and said the Commission’s opening position was acceptable.
Reporters were asked to leave the meeting after Dr Muscat’s opening comments.
Earlier EU Funds Parliamentary Secretary Aaron Farrugia described the upcoming summit as “extraordinary”, with migration and security, and funding at the forefront of the discussions.
Malta, he said, punched above its weight at the negotiating table, while trying to be an “honest broker” for solutions.