Malta should threaten with veto, defend national interest on migration – Joseph Muscat

Reacting to comments that followed his stand supporting Italy’s blockade of Lampedusa to an AFM patrol boat that had rescued 170 migrants, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat stressed that being "progressive does not mean being racist or extreme leftist."

“Malta should show that it is not in the EU to be taken for a ride and should stand firm by its right to defend its national interest,” Muscat claimed. "It only means we are letting no one trod over our national interest."

Speaking on One Radio, Muscat stressed that defending national interest does not mean letting people die, but merely show that we cannot take more than we are able to support.

“Malta should push forward the stand that if the immigration problem will not be prioritised, government will be ready to veto EU decisions – and not necessarily on immigration issues.”

Muscat accused Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi of "senseless talking" who has brought nothing to Malta: “Instead of defending the national interest, he sits at EU meetings like a sheep and thanks those who give him charity.”

Asked by Times of Malta journalist Christian Peregin what he would have done given he was in government’s position, Muscat said – in the first place – he would never have signed the immigration agreement which is simply "an appeasement".

“It is a short-sighted agreement which has proven to be futile,” Muscat said. “Not signing would have proved that the crisis in the Mediterranean is far more critical than the EU sets it out to be.”

Muscat also referred to comments made by Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who said it made more sense for Italy to respond to the rescue rather than Malta. The Lampedusa incident had left the Armed Forces of Malta rescuing 170 migrants on their own, without Italy’s help.

“Since Berlusconi has admitted to Malta being right, I would have sent the 170 immigrants back, and let Italy deal with them,” Muscat said.

He said, defending national interest would have also meant abstaining from voting, or voting with reservation, in Luxembourg on the council conclusions of Monday’s justice and home affairs council.

On Malta, 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.

“Italy has voted with reservation, whilst Maltese government is playing EU’s advocate. More than this, government has come out praising the EU for its decisions,” Muscat said, adding he cannot understand on what we should be thanking Europe.

Describing some countries’ initiative to take refugees from Malta as “a token gesture”, Muscat claimed that whilst two years ago the European Union had promised to take 2,000 refugees from Malta, it had only taken 300.

“In reality, the United States has done more,” he said.

Asked whether he agrees with Italian Interior minister Roberto Maroni threat to “divorce” from the EU if concrete help is not given, Muscat said Malta’s decision to join the EU is “sovereign” and for “long-term”.

He however praised Italy’s, France’s and Germany’s blockade of borders to restrain migrants to enter into their countries. “Their strong actions have led to a strong reaction which is now seeing joint patrols of the borders,” Muscat said.