Borg meets Frattini in Rome to discuss migration, developments in Libya crisis

Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg informed Italian Minister Franco Frattini about Malta’s call to the European Union to trigger the Council Directive 2001/55, an emergency solidarity mechanism.

Borg talked about the arrival of the 816 Eritreans and Somalis which landed in Malta in just over 24 hours. He stressed that such numbers in a highly-populated, but small island such as Malta creates a crises.

Borg said one had to look at these numbers in proportion to the territory and population size – to which Frattini agreed.

Borg also informed Frattini on the meeting between Malta’s Prime Minister and the Libyan deputy foreign minister, yesterday night. Borg reiterated that Malta had once again made it clear that Gaddafi’s regime must go.

Borg and Frattini also discussed the ministerial meeting in Naples, which has been postponed by a few weeks. The meeting is in preparation to the 5+5 summit, which is planned to be held in Malta.

The ministers said this meeting is important now more than ever due to the situation in the Mediterranean.