Government agrees to conference on illegal immigration

Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said yesterday that the government agreed to the holding of a national conference on illegal immigration, as long as that did not make the issue a political football and it did not raise the people's expectations that this problem could be solved in this way.

Dr Borg was reacting to repeated calls by the opposition for a national conference on illegal immigration.

He said in an adjournment speech in parliament that the government would be prepared to itself host such a national conference but the conference should be held on the basis of published policy statements by the government and the opposition on how the country should tackle the issue.

He said the government intended to publish its policy document on illegal immigration in the coming weeks..

Dr Borg said the number of illegal immigrants had increased by eight times this summer, increasing the pressure for the opening of another holding centre. The problem was such that 100 policemen were deployed for duties with illegal immigrants every day, along with at least an equal number of soldiers.

He complained that some people had strong, and illogical, sentiments against illegal immigrants. But no one had come up with any solution of how the country should deal with these people other than current methods.

Clearly boatloads of illegal immigrants could not be kept drifting in distress without being rescued.

Indeed, the government received complaints from either side of the argument, having also been severely criticised for repatriating a number of Eritreans. Yet Malta upheld the application of one out of every two illegal immigrants who sought protection here. He would challenge NGOs who criticised the government's treatment of migrants to find a higher percentage anywhere else.

Dr Borg said that nonetheless Malta would retain its detention policy, a stand the opposition agreed with, and it had no alternative but to repatriate those illegal immigrants not seen as deserving of protection.

Dr Borg said his appeal was for the Maltese not to be divided on the issue of illegal immigration. The government intended publishing its policy document on illegal immigration soon, and he hoped the opposition would do likewise, not least because he sometimes detected contradictions in what opposition speakers said.

One could then discuss the various aspects of the problem, including initiatives which Malta could take in the European Union, the role of non-government organisations and bilateral arrangements with other countries.