All of a sudden, the issue of irregular migration is being taken seriously. In the past, Malta has repeatedly asked for help in terms of burden sharing and for marine assets to be placed in the Mediterranean to carry out rescues. Most of it fell on deaf ears, and more often than not, it was the United States that offered help, while the European Union provided not much more than lip service to Malta (and Italy’s) repeated pleas for help.
But yesterday, the EU formally pledged €17.7m to Malta and there was a clear declaration yesterday by European Commissioner for Migration Home Affairs, Dimitris Avramopoulos, who said that while Malta did not get enough support in the past, “things are changing”.
He also made clear reference to the situation in Libya and said that the migration phenomenon is further compounded by fears that terrorists could be making their way into Europe via illegal migration routes. Just a few months ago, the idea was dismissed as being fanciful and far-fetched, but it has now become a very real possibility which is being taken seriously.
These declarations, coupled with the fact that Italy has ended its anti-piracy navy deployment off the Horn of Africa in order to concentrate on expanding its military presence in the Mediterranean, show that at long last, attitudes are changing.
The Commissioner seemed well aware of the danger of Libya heading towards total collapse and said that the migration phenomenon, in Malta’s regard, had to take the situation in that specific context, adding that it had resulted in unprecedented pressures on security and stress. The government told the Commissioner that while it is satisfied with the financial allocation until the year 2020, but said that Europe needed to do its bit in terms of concrete measures when it came to burden sharing.
It also told the Commissioner that Malta expected the European Union to continue to seek a solution to the impasse in Libya through dialogue, and not force, through the UN brokered peace efforts. The truth is that the more Libya spirals into chaos, the worse the immigration problem is going to become. And if the worst case scenario comes to fruition, militants are going to make their way onto the continent through these channels.
Many believe that Malta is not prepared. But the truth is that no one can be prepared for such eventualities. Attacks on the continent have taken place and they were planned and co-ordinated. The issue now needs to be tackled with a two prong approach – dealing with the issue of people fleeing Africa in search of a better life, and that of terrorism using that same phenomenon to further its own ends. The IS presence in Libya is worrying and Europe ought to take it more seriously. At least, the attitude towards Malta’s situation has changed and we hope that it will continue to change and lead to a policy shift in the European Union. We ignore these threats at our own collective peril.