Resolution on Malta's problems

The conference of presidents of the European Parliament (EP) yesterday accepted a request by the Civil Liberties Committee to discuss an urgent resolution on illegal immigration in Malta on Monday in Strasbourg.

The resolution will be formally presented by the committee's vice-president, Italian MEP Stefano Zappala.

Speaking to The Times yesterday while attending the European People's Party congress in Rome, Mr Zappala said the decision to present the resolution was taken last week in Malta following his delegation's visit to detention centres hosting hundreds of illegal immigrants.

"Following what we saw, I instantly decided to do something urgently to help Malta. My delegation in fact met on the same evening we arrived in Malta and decided to move a specific resolution seeking political backing by the European Parliament to put pressure on the EU Council to do what it can to assist Malta."

The main thrust of the resolution will be a request for a derogation from Malta's obligations under the Dublin II convention to enable the island to be treated as a transitory state, meaning that illegal immigrants arriving in Malta would be immediately sent to other EU member states where their applications for asylum can be dealt with.

"Although we appreciate that the Maltese government is doing its utmost to respond to the influx of migrants, we know that the island cannot cope on its own. That is why we will be pushing the EU council to grant Malta immediate help and oblige other member states to show solidarity with Malta. This is, after all, the whole concept of burden sharing."

Yesterday, on the fringes of the EPP congress in Rome, Mr Zappala held private discussions with Nationalist MEPs David Casa and Simon Busuttil on the draft resolution. The debate will be held on Monday evening with a vote expected to be taken on Wednesday, coincidentally following an address to the European Parliament by President Eddie Fenech Adami.

Mr Zappala said his delegation's visit to Malta last week made them understand better what a big problem the country is facing.

"We have visited various other European countries which face similar problems, however we have now realised that Malta is a special case. Due to its small size it will never have the necessary resources to deal with this problem. Malta is already doing a lot especially when it comes to financial and human resources. Instead of spending money on useless conferences and fancy leaflets, the EU must dedicate its resources where it matters most. Malta and its illegal immigration problems is a case in point."

Asked about the possibility of his committee's resolution being defeated by the European Parliament, Mr Zappala said he appreciates it is difficult for other member states to solve Malta's problems. However, he said, this is the real meaning of the concept of burden sharing and that is what he will be proposing.

"Now is the time to show if our words can be translated into action," he added.

Malta's Labour's MEPs yesterday welcomed the news about the debate in Strasbourg and said that during the past weeks they had worked hard to put the item on European Parliament's agenda with urgency.

MEPs Louis Grech, Joseph Muscat and John Attard Montalto said the resolution should call upon the Commission and the Council to take various concrete measures so that Malta can deal better with the influx of illegal immigrants.