Updated | Government 'happy with charity, when what we need is solidarity' – PL

Labour MP and spokesperson on immigration Michael Falzon said the way the European Union has acted so far, is a "far cry" from its talk on solidarity, when reacting to the voluntary burden-sharing policy by EU member states on Monday.

“Lawrence Gonzi and his government are weak to accept a plan which does not give any form of solid solidarity,” Falzon said, adding that “government is pleasing itself with other countries’ charity, when what we really need is true solidarity, which is our right.”

Falzon added government should declare how it voted in Luxembourg on the council conclusions of Monday’s justice and home affairs council, or whether it abstained like Italy did.

EU Commissioner for justice and home affairs Cecilia Malmstrom said the council had approved to prolong the pilot resettlement programme for migrants with temporary protection in Malta. However, the European Council reiterated that it was still premature for the solidarity mechanism to be invoked.

Falzon hit out at Gonzi for “lauding” the voluntary help offered by EU countries, saying it only goes to show how “weak Gonzi is when he comes to defend Malta’s national interest at EU level”.

Referring to the immigration solidarity mechanism, Directive 55, Falzon said it discriminates against Malta. Article 5 of Directive 55/2001 enables the granting of temporary international protection orders in cases of large influxes of people into the EU. 

"The declarations that the solidarity mechanism is only activated when all EU countries are affected by the immigration influx completely ignores Malta's geographical position and the island's size," he said.

“By what has been said amongst the EU fora, it shows that some countries are expecting Malta to act as a shield against the immigration wave,” Falzon added.

Without referring to any specific country, Falzon praised those countries which, without any inhibitions, place their national interest at the top of their agenda.

“The PL believes that whilst respecting human dignity, Malta should never let others abuse of it and we should safeguard our national interest, just like other countries are doing,” Falzon concluded.

Meanwhile, in a statement today, the Nationalist Party hit out at the position taken by Labour leader Joseph Muscat on the Italian blockade of Lampedusa as insensitive and populist.

“Instead of supporting the Maltese government’s decision to support human life as its main priority, Muscat supported Italy and said Malta should have done the same.”

Reacting to the statement, the Justice and Home Affairs Ministry said that the EU is already showing “direct and concrete” solidarity with Malta on the issue of illegal immigration.

Referring to the PL’s statement the Ministry said that “it is sadly built upon arguments that are incorrect, inexact, and completely wrong.”

It said that that the declaration made by the EU’s Council of Ministers for Internal Affairs put in motion the first steps of “concrete” solidarity and assistance with Malta and the immigrants.

The Ministry added that, as was already reported, a number of Member States already showed signs that they would be participating in the already-existing Burden Sharing Agreement.

The Ministry however conceded that there is more that can be done beyond t his “marked step forward.” It also hit out at the Opposition for relying on “mistaken sources” in saying that Italy abstained from voting on the Council’s declaration.

The Ministry said that Italy had actually voted in favour of the declaration, despite how  the country wanted the final declaration to change so that a project of solidarity for Italy can be established as well.

This did not happen precisely because the other Member States did not agree, the Ministry said, adding that they declared that there are fundamental differences between Malta and Italy’s situations.

It also refuted claims that indications were given during the meeting that other members states are waiting for the situation to deteriorate further before taking action. “Neither is it true that our position as a country was not recognised, or that Malta needs to prevent more people (immigrants) from arriving here,” the ministry said.

In a jab at statements by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat days ago, the ministry said that it is “ironic that so much admiration is being shown to certain countries that is being described as a defender of national interest that nevertheless had to receive 25,000 economic migrants from Tunisia that it could not send back.”