Following a meeting of a Committee of the European Green Party, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairman Harry Vassallo said that the EGP Committee of which he is a member, had been fully informed of the critical situation regarding irregular migration in Malta.

The EGP committed to assist Malta and other parts of the EU which presently face this challenge alone to secure effective assistance from EU agencies such as Frontex and from other EU member countries.

“The failure of Frontex and the evident reluctance of other member countries to take effective action particularly through burden sharing for dealing with irregular migration leaves Malta alone to handle the growing numbers of irregular migrants rescued from Malta’s vast search and rescue area,” Dr Vassallo said.

“Malta has consistently fulfilled its legal obligations in accepting political asylum seekers and has an above EU average rate of acceptance of economic migrants on humanitarian grounds but is physically and economically unable to absorb all the migrants it will continue to rescue at sea,” he added.

“EGP Co/Spokesperson Ulrike Lunacek said: “I was in Malta as recently as March 2007 and am very aware of the limitations of a densely-populated island 24 kilometres long. If Malta’s resources are stretched to breaking point, the first to bear the consequences will be the migrants themselves who are already exposed to exploitation, physical danger, as well as inhuman and degrading treatment. Already hundreds of migrants die at sea each year.”

EGP Co-Spokesperson Philippe Lamberts continued: “The EGP Committee will liase with the Green Group in the European Parliament, and also encourage Greens in governments and parliaments throughout Europe to engage with this issue in accordance with EGP policy. It has always been basic Green policy to address north-south issues and the present crisis of irregular migration was anticipated by Greens many years ago. Our warnings and our calls for effective action to address the growing north-south wealth gap have been ignored.”

Both spokesmen confirmed that the EGP Committee will be sending a delegation to Malta to obtain first-hand information on the situation in order to provide to member parties and other Green Party representatives.

“Greens everywhere and on principle can be expected to respond energetically not only to the present crisis but also to seek long-term solutions which are fair and just both with the populations of the south but also among those of EU member countries,” Dr Vassallo said.