'Legal and safe routes not on EU agenda' - Abela

Establishing safe and legal routes to Europe for asylum seeker is not on the EU's agenda, home affairs minister Carmelo Abela said today.

Abela was speaking as he hosted a delegation from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group (ALDE)  - the liberal–centrist political group within the European Parliament.

Although legal passage to Europe is not on the cards, Abela said "legal ways need to be discussed."

He was reacting to the ALDE delegation leader Cecilia Wikström's passionate plea for human solidarity and concrete action by the 28 EU member states. She insisted that the EU's plans to destroy boats used by smugglers to transport asylum seekers from Libya to Europe "is not a sustainable solution for people seeking refuge in Europe."

The Swedish MEP said "we have created a monetary union but not a humanitarian union" adding that the only solution to drive human traffickers out of business was that of creating legal and safe routes to Europe. This should include the issuing of humanitarian.

Wikström welcomed the mandatory responsibility sharing in the EU's plan to receive 20,000 asylum seekers which shall be distributed among member states but was critical of the meagre numbers involved.

Expressing her agreement, Dutch MEP Sophia in’t Veld said 20,000 is “a drop in the ocean” and Europe is more than capable of absorbing far bigger numbers, especially considering the shrinking and aging population in Europe.

“The solutions are not difficult but what is lacking is political courage to fight against xenophobia,” she added.

On his part, Abela was in agreement over the need for mandatory responsibility sharing but cautioned that for the time being action against smugglers is necessary.

Calling for a holistic approach, Abela said “action against smugglers should not be the only solution” but for the time being the EU was giving a priority to stopping the waves of migrants and saving lives.

“The EU has not yet discussed regular migration but it is not on the agenda. Legal ways need to be discussed further,” he said, adding that the EU should consider setting up agencies in transition countries, possibly in conjunction with the UNHCR.