Former Prime Minister and Labour leader Alfred Sant  today insisted that people cannot simply be placed together as if they are homogeneous Lidl products, in reference to the irregular immigration issue.

Writing on his blog on inewsmalta.com, Dr Sant said that “people and communities with different beliefs, traditions and values cannot simply be lumped together as if they were products for sale at Lidl.”

Dr Sant said that many of the EU regulations used to decide what action should be taken are not calibrated for Malta’s unique situation.

He said that the emphasis place on multiculturalism and integration often lead to the opposite results of those that are expected.

Dr Sant drew a parallel with the EU’s free trade stance and its immigration policy.

“Europe is expecting migrants coming from everywhere to be able to live in the same spaces, in the same way that is expects products and services coming from everywhere to be able to compete and ‘live’ on an equal basis.”

“Something like this ignores the fact that people live in their own symbolic and cultural space, which is different from others. This fact cannot be ignored. It is a fact that creates difficulties between people who are only used to their own cultures and spaces,” Dr Sant said.