When Malta suspended Schengen regulations, a few things became apparently clear. First and foremost, the Maltese people felt safer. The second thing was that it was obvious that the system allowed for easy infiltration of people who did not have valid residence permits or visas into and out of Malta.

This does not mean that we should not be for a Europe without borders. As citizens of the European Union, it gives us a sense of belonging to know that we can travel across borders without having to show our passports.

But the rules in themselves are flawed. The rules stipulate that once a person enters the zone legally, they can travel anywhere within that bloc without border control. If that person dupes the authorities on entry, then he can go on and travel within Schengen with no restrictions. Sadly, the 13 November Paris attacks in 2015 were a clear example of how it can go wrong.

During the Valletta Summit, EU President Donald Tusk said that we can still save Schengen, but the race is on. The system cannot remain in place as it is. And we must also not forget that there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of unregistered migrants living on the Continent.

This problem is here to stay. Perhaps, the only way forward is a totally futuristic one, one where we can walk through border control unhindered. But all the while, computers would be scanning our retinas and finger tips to match against databank records that are safely locked away with Big Brother.

It is clear that things cannot remain as they are. Europe is too porous, and to put it into easy parlance; nobody knows quite how many people made it, where they are, what they are doing, and whether they might pose a danger.

These are things we need to know. These are things the authorities need to know. Geographically, the EU does not have the voluntary ‘isolation’ that the US has. Even the UK has it to a degree. And to an extent, also Malta. We complain of insularity, and we know that we have a problem with arrivals of migrants by sea. But we are an island, and that means that even if there are no border controls, we have better controls than others have on the Continent.

So what have we learned? Is it safer to have border controls? Yes. Is it more inconvenient to have border controls? Sort of. But another overwhelming feeling is that the EU believes that introducing permanent border controls would take us back to a Europe of old. One that is divided. Migration will stay on the agenda, and the movement of people will also feature alongside. While many are seeking a better life, others are seeking to plot terror attacks. Some are moving country legally, but others are abusing the system to look for work, even those who are travelling to Malta. We must regain a degree of control on the movement of people, but we must not curtail our own freedoms in the process.