MEP Simon Busuttil piled more pressure on EU Commissioner Franco Frattini last week telling him that people’s patience in Malta was running out on the issue of illegal immigration.

Dr Busuttil was participating in the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament which had an exchange with Frattini on the new Commission package of measures in the field of immigration, integration and asylum which was published earlier this month.

Intervening during the debate, Dr Busuttil reminded members of the European Parliament that Malta was currently facing a crisis with the huge influx of illegal immigrants.

He pointed out to members that, to put things in perspective, they had to appreciate that the more than 1,000 immigrants who landed in Malta over the past few months were roughly equivalent to a staggering 170,000 people arriving in Germany.

“This is the scale of the problem,” Busuttil said. “It is sheer numbers.”

Dr Busuttil said that in facing this influx Malta had severe limitations of a financial nature but also difficulties with quick repatriation to the country of departure and with resettlement to other European countries.

Dr Busuttil also said that apart from the human drama involved with the loss of several lives in the Mediterranean Sea, in Malta this problem was also leaving serious repercussions on the population where xenophobic reactions can now be witnessed.

He said that the Maltese population also had the perception that the EU was indifferent to Malta’s difficulties.

Busuttil concluded by welcoming Mr Frattini’s direct interest in Malta’s predicament and congratulated him for the latest Commission proposals which were marking a step forward towards a common European policy on immigration.

However, Dr Busuttil warned him that Europe must be seen to act urgently and decisively on this issue as people’s patience was running thin.

Replying, Mr Frattini said that he welcomed the ongoing efforts of the Maltese government to address this problem and that he understood that the task was enormous. He said that he was fully aware of Malta’s difficulties and had visited the country only last July to discuss this matter. He said that the EU was doing its best on the matter within the limits of its competence.

Mr Frattini told members that only a few days ago there was a very positive development when Holland agreed to take responsibility for the resettlement of a number of refugees in Malta. He said that, although the number involved was limited, this was a very positive step in the right direction and an example for other countries to follow.

Mr Frattini also said that more funding opportunities were now open for Malta and that he was expecting the Maltese authorities to come forward with concrete project proposals for EU funding in this area.