Mallia meets Italian counterpart Alfano on migration talks

Malta and Italy are united on a "common position" on immigration for the forthcoming European Council meeting for justice and home affairs ministers, which takes place on 5 December.

Home affairs minister Manuel Mallia met his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano in Rome, where the two sides discussed a common position they will present to the Council.

Mallia said that EU member states being impacted by influxes of irregular migration should join together on a common position in the EU, to search for solutions. "These solutions must give faster results, and be planned so that this problem can be fought off in the most effective manner. We see irregular immigration as a European problem," Mallia said.

Alfano was formerly a member of the Berlusconi government, before leaving the magnate's centre-right part Popolo Della Libertà and forming a new right wing party called Nuova Destra (New Right).