This week’s European Union Justice and Home Affairs Council, which will feature Malta’s burden of irregular migration, will be pivotal for the country as it struggles with increasing migratory flows.
While Malta will be tabling its proposals for Europe-wide burden sharing, it is also expected to fall under scrutiny for the way it has dealt, or not dealt, with a number of migrant emergencies near but outside its search and rescue zone.
While the government is keeping its cards relatively close to its chest, it is understood it will propose that migrants rescued by an EU country outside its search and rescue area be distributed, through a quota system, throughout the EU.
The European Union’s home affairs ministers are also expected to be pressured on Tuesday and Wednesday into honouring their commitments to Frontex for Mediterranean patrols, one-tenth of which have been lived up to so far, and into more tangible commitments of solidarity with Malta.
The responsibilities of Malta and those of Libya, which has been shamefully negligent of its search and rescue obligations, will also be a main theme of discussions.
Frontex, the EU’s border patrol agency, sent a mission to Libya last week to offer assistance patrolling the Niger border, with the condition that Libya fulfils its search and rescue international obligations.
Dutch MEP Jeanine Hennis-Plasschart commented in the European Parliament (EP) this week, “Malta is an EU member State, while Libya is hardly a human rights paradise. If we are adopting the human rights standards of Libya, that would be a scandal. No one can hide behind a legal excuse while not acting to rescue people in distress.”
“We know what the Libyan human rights record is and we should have had a plan B for when Libya fails to live up to its obligations,” added British MEP Jean Lambert.
Speaking in the EP’s last minute addition to its plenary session on Wednesday, European Commission vice-president and justice, freedom and security commissioner Franco Frattini stressed Malta’s predicament will be a central issue at the Council.
“We must meet the requirements of countries such as Malta, all member States should do their part and this will be a central issue at next week’s Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers meeting.
“Is it possible for one small country in the middle of the Mediterranean to deal with everything?” he questioned, adding, “But we cannot cover for countries not playing their part. This is not the time to point fingers, it is time to ensure that the recent tragic events are not repeated.”
Many European politicians, while agreeing Malta cannot be left to deal with the problem on its own, have been scathing in their condemnation of Malta, which, in their view, has been hiding behind legalities and arguing over responsibilities while people die at sea.
The Spanish government lodged a formal EU complaint against Malta this week for its failure to assist the Spanish Montfalco tugboat, which had picked up a group of migrants from the Ivory Coast in Libyan waters.
“Last week the authorities of one member State did not live up to its expectations,” argued Spanish MEP Javier Moreno Sanchez. “While this attitude is unacceptable, we cannot ask them to take on more responsibilities than they already have.
“This is not a Maltese problem or a problem of any single State but rather a European problem. Nor is this a problem of fishermen, who have had to carry out rescues themselves. We simply cannot continue to disagree and argue over responsibilities while migrants die.”
Echoing the sentiment, Ignasi Guardans Cambo commented, “Malta’s attitude is terrible and should be condemned, but the country must also be helped.
“What union do we have if we can resolve petty issues on a daily basis while we cannot stop people dying at the doors of fortress Europe? Solidarity must be imposed through legislation so all will shoulder the burden.”