[WATCH] Prime Minister says United Nations should patrol Libyan ports

Joseph Muscat says he will not cooperate with the EU unless member states return solidarity Malta showed on financial bailouts.

24 October 2013, 12:00am
by Matthew Vella

2 min read

Joseph Muscat is in Brussels to make a stand on his government's demands on migration

Updated to add comments by European Parliament President Martin Schulz

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has called for a United Nations force that can control Libya's ports and irregular migration routes, according to Sky News.

Muscat is currently in Brussels, where the EU's leaders are meeting.

"Speaking before today's European Council meeting, Muscat promised to be less co-operative on important Euro issues like bailouts if countries like Malta do not get more assistance," Sky News reported.

Muscat was reported that richer northern member states like the United Kingdom should "do more, pay more and take more responsibility."

He said he would tell European leaders that countries receiving their aid money must find ways to screen people wanting to migrate.

He also believes that migrants who do not qualify for international protection must be repatriated by Europe working as a united body.

"Europe is trying to tackle a problem with tools of the past. It's like trying to send an e-mail on a fax machine... It is a European problem and global problem."

He has accused Europe of 'hypocrisy', saying its leaders are all talk. "We could have said 'tough luck' when they wanted money for the bailouts. But we did the right thing. We need solidarity now."

And according to European Parliament President Martin Schulz , "it's understandable" that Muscat was asking for asking for a debate both at EU and UN levels.

Asked by MaltaToday whether the Maltese prime minister was right in his demands calling for the United Nations to patrol the Libyan waters, Schulz said Muscat was facing "enormous pressure".

"Joseph Muscat is facing enormous pressure, not least because of the uncontrolled movement of boats to Malta coming from Libya. It is understandable that he is calling for a debate from both the European Union and the United Nations," Schulz said.

The 'datagate scandal' and migration will take precedence at the European Council meeting Thursday and Friday in Brussels. Italy has received "concrete" pledges from the EU to deal with the emergency of migratory trends in the Mediterranean to prevent further tragedies in the likes of the recent one off Lampedusa.

Thanks to an alliance with Spain, France, Malta, Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria, Italy is counting on receiving substantial bolstering of the commitments indicated in the draft conclusions of the summit.

Italian prime minister Enrico Letta wants a stronger Frontex mission in the Mediterranean and for a roadmap to be drawn up for the task force meeting on Friday to lead to concrete results by presenting proposals at the year-end summit, as well as that the EU fully support relations with third countries by bringing in partnership agreements for mobility that foster legal migration.

Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...

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Mr. Psaila what are your suggestions about the whole issue? Or maybe any one of your other Illuminati friends you cohort with have a better solution re the plight of these illegal immigrants and human traffickers that are making millions out of these peoples misery not to mention the ever increasing frustration of the Maltese people

joseph mercieca •

Mr. Psaila I completely disagree with your reasoning. Still it would take long to rebut your arguments. Joseph Muscat is putting a proposal with other countries and not alone. None the less if you feel like that I respect it. I suggest that you take care of what you write as you can end up with egg on your face. You suggested that with the introduction of quotas Malta will be allocated a high number migrants due to our limited birth rate. Don’t you think they will factor in the surface area of the island and size of its population? You surely must know that the island has one of the highest population densities averaging 2000 souls per square metre. Don’t you think we are crowded enough? Where shall we put the new arrivals? I suggest the Point?

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I am proud of our Prime Minister! !eep the good work. I hope that the like of Metsola would not try to claim glory when the PM achieves his aim for the good la all Malta taghna il koll

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Psaila, go jump in the lake, (or in the middle of the Mediterranean if you so prefer.) Leave "poltico" politics out of this tortuous situation.

Joseph MELI •

FAO -FRANK PSAILA Could you kindly inform us what our previous PM's stance,position and utterances were on this toxic issue?

Luke Camilleri •

IL-PAJJIZ WARAJK . . . . hlief ghal min mhux ta' rieda tajba!

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@Frank Psaila. Joseph Muscat bashing is all you are interested in! Migrant's plight don't even come into your equation. Joseph Muscat is trying to fix what the naive leader of the moribund- once might proud and patriotic Borg Olivier's PN- lumped us with! Sorry, nothing but an other sore loser!

David Bongailas •

Fair enough Prime Minister, but why single out the UK as THE northern country that needs to do more ? After all most illegal migrants want to move to the Uk anyway where the government dishes out the freebies and gives housing to.....well most immigrants in need really. Why not mention germany, the netherlands and the scandinavian countries as well ? Can't see any of them lifting a finger to help. Good luxk for the summit PM.

Joseph MELI •

I and others,have been advocating UN involvement for ages as this is clearly a worldwide humanitarian issue .Where is Jabba the Hut( aka Barroso)now his photo-shoot opportunity in the Lampedusa "cemetery" has passed in which he shed crocdile tears whilst claiming to stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the rescuers with the unsaid proviso of course the adopting of such a solidarity position not costing any more money!

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Go for their throats Joseph, and do not let go. After all we paid our share of solidarity when we were asked to contribute funds from our very limited resources. We had not caused the financial meltdown, but we accepted our responsibilities. Let Europe accept her's.

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The Prime Minister's suggestion is 'push back', and worse. He, basically, wants to lock the gates and in plain, and simple terms, it means death. If this is the best the Prime Minister can come up with, then help us (but, especially, the migrants) god. The Prime Minister of an EU state, which prides itself as having solidarity as its core value, should be putting forward sensible, and humane solutions. Dr. Muscat should be encouraging his counterparts to think outside the box - migration is there to stay, and we the EU (because this 'us' and 'them - the EU', idea is ridiculous; we are the EU) should by now, be exploring ways and means how to benefit from migration. Migrants have their skills, too - which can be put to good use. Someone needs to tell the Prime Minister that the UK has the highest number of migrants in the EU - what if the UK asks for 'burden' (I hate this word - people are never a burden) sharing, too? Is Dr. Muscat aware that Malta might end up with a higher share of migrants because of its low birth rate? Dr. Muscat, I beg you, now, once you are speaking on our behalf, you either come up with sensible, and humane solutions or kindly keep your incredibly insensitive ideas to yourself. Media reports also say that "Dr Muscat again promised to be less co-operative on important Euro issues like bailouts if countries like Malta do not get more assistance. "We could have said 'tough luck' when they wanted money for the bailouts. But we did the right thing. We need solidarity now." This is incredibly short-sighted. Not only is the Prime Minister tarnishing Malta's reputation but his attitude will get us nowhere - worse, it will be counterproductive. Isn't it obvious that when we help other European countries, through bailouts, we are helping our economy too? Doesn't our economy depend on other European economies too? Qisu qed jaghmlilhom xi pjacir ghax jghinhom!

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Very proud of our outstanding Prim Minister.