Suddenly, our country has been plunged into a crisis not of its doing, a crisis that has placed Malta's name in ignominy all over the world.

Portrayed by the new Italian government, especially deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, as an insensitive country which shies away from doing its duty, and then slandered all over Italian private television as a lush country where we all have luxury yachts, SUVs where we are all young and blonde when nothing is furthest from the truth.

There are so many loose ends in this matter that one hesitates where to start from.

It is an indisputable fact that the tidal wave of asylum seekers from the trouble spots of the world have focused on Europe as a soft target. The wave, at first from embattled Syria became one interminable horde walking all the way from Turkey to Germany and onwards.

Then people from other trouble spots like Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and sub-Saharan countries joined up.

When the Balkan route was blocked up, the Mediterranean route was re-opened and soon enough people were flooding into an out of control Libya where a huge industry of people selling (at high prices) places on a rubber boat emerged certain that just outside (or even inside) the Libyan waters ships hired by charitable NGOs stood by to prevent those crossing from a watery grave.

And then to Europe. Italy, as the nearest country, took the bulk. Malta took very few although proportionately the number of asylum seekers in Malta - 18.3 of every 1000 inhabitants - is far superior to that of Italy where there are just 2.4 in every 1000 inhabitants.

It is clear that Malta cannot take in this tidal wave of asylum seekers. Italy, which has suffered the brunt, understandably refuses to be the fall guy. But then so does Malta.

The so-called European solidarity has not worked, is not working. Some countries have shut their frontiers against migrants. Others stand fast by the Dublin agreement that says asylum seekers must be returned to the country they reach first when they get to Europe. All the other EU initiatives, from Frontex to creating holding camps on the African continent, have not worked.

This has led and is leading to the rise of populist parties and politicians all over Europe. Italy's League is one such, with its xenophobic language, threatening pushbacks of all those who are not allowed to stay. The language is incendiary, with racist tones and religious fundamentalism. There is also the very real risk that terrorist organisations infiltrate their sleeper warriors among the migrants.

The one million-plus refugees who walked all the way to Germany have created multiple problems for the host country. Politically they were the reason why the extreme Alternative for Germany made so many inroads and entered the Bundestag.

The refugees themselves tell stories of being left alone, consigned to one place with nothing to do and with no real training put in. Nevertheless, there have been many success stories of integration and of people continuing with their studies.

The situation is definitely not the same as regards the second wave of refugees where people come with no background of training at all and where they soon fall the trap of an under-proletariat, doing odd jobs and many times getting into trouble.

Some things are clear: there can be no solution such as proposed by populist parties. Actually, these are no solutions at all, as will be realized as soon as they try to implement their 'solutions'. Properly trained and integrated, the refugees can be a force for good, as we can see even around us. But no viable solution can take place in the absence of law and order. It is, on the whole, a small concession when the alternative is the war and mayhem the refugees come from.

The refugees must be free to retain their language, religion and traditions but in an ordered manner and without posing any danger to the rest of the host nation.