‘Disappointing’ EU Dublin Regulation changes, ‘a missed opportunity’ – AD

Alternattiva Demokratika is the third Maltese political party to voice its disappointment with the Common European Asylum System about to be agreed to by the European Union.

Maltese MEPs Roberta Metsola, David Casa and Claudette Abela Baldacchino described the proposed changes to the EU's Dublin Regulation as a step in the right direction for the reception and treatment of asylum seekers, but does little to address Malta's situation.

AD, like the European Green Party, has described the new asylum rules as "a massive missed opportunity".

AD spokesperson for immigration Robert Callus said it was imperative that the European Union started to practice real solidarity. He said the issue of immigration was much wider than counting numbers and, until lately, the Nationalist and Labour parties only gave lip service to the issue.

"The European Green Party is the only party at a European level to realize that a sense of fairness towards both asylum seekers and countries in the periphery of Europe when it comes to the distribution of immigrants is necessary if every country is to keep on believing in the European project," Callus said.

AD spokesperson on EU affairs Arnold Callus said the system by which asylum seekers are sent back to the EU member states they first entered to have their asylum application dealt with is based on "totally false premises". Such is the situation in Malta.

"An elected Alternattiva MEP would back the position to reform this Dublin convention requirement which is detrimental to Malta," Cassola said.