PN ‘satisfied’ with Malta-Italy agreement on Salamis saga

The Nationalist Party said it was satisfied with the outcome of the three-day saga which saw the government refuse entry to a tanker which rescued 102 migrants at sea.

The Opposition has backed the government's stance from the very beginning, claiming that the government's action was in accordance with international law.

"The Maltese government has for years faces similar situations to the one faced in the last two days, and Nationalist administrations always toiled to resolve matters while respecting the dignity of the vulnerable persons involved."

The Opposition boded further cooperation between the Italian and Maltese governments and reiterated its support to the government's efforts to convince the EU to show more solidarity.

The standoff involving the stranded migrants would have been easily resolved had there been the solidarity structures in place, the PN said.

"Diplomacy and dialogue, not stamping of feet, are the best tools to resolve matters."

The PN condemned insults directed at European Commissioner for home affairs Cecilia Malmstrom and appealed for "respect and tolerance."

Following her statement issued yesterday in which she urged Malta to take in the migrants, Malmstrom's facebook page was inundated with x-rated comments by Maltese citizens who vented their anger at the Commissioner's statement.

Last night, the oil tanker MT Salamis sailed towards Syracuse, Italy, with the 102 migrants it rescued on Monday aboard.