Before a European solution is reached, migrants stranded on board a private ferry off Malta’s territorial waters will not be allowed to disembark, Prime Minister Robert Abela said this morning.

He was addressing journalists after testifying in an inquiry which was launched after an NGO filed a criminal complaint against him late last month.

NGO Repubblika have claimed that the PM and the crew of AFM patrol boat P52 are responsible for the death of a number of migrants. The complaint was filed after a bot of 52 migrants which had been adrift in Maltese waters were returned to Libya earlier this week, with 5 dead people onboard and 7 people still missing.

Since the criminal complaint was filed, Malta has been involved in another migration issue, with 56 migrants being rescued last Friday and being transferred onto a private vessel chartered by the Maltese government.

Abela said that the fact that these migrants are on a private vessel is another piece of proof of how the Maltese government always followed its obligations of coordinating rescue. 

He categorically denied any indication or implication that the Maltese government had failed to honour its obligation to save lives or suspend or hinder rescue coordination.

He said that he had had a long discussion with the President of the European Commission and that the government’s position is such that a such must be reached with the European Commission.

“Before that, Malta will not permit those migrants to enter our ports”, he said.

He added that the Commission had wanted Malta to allow the migrants in and for a solution for their relocation to be discussed once that is done, but Abela said that this was not a satisfactory proposal as “we know what happens; they will be allowed in, and no solution will be found.”

He said that the migrants are being taken good care of – they are being supplied with the food, water, and medical care they need. “We are talking about humans here”, he said.

“This has nothing to do with racism at all – it is a product of two realities; the first that we are in this Covid situation, and the second that we simply cannot cope any further when it comes to migrants”, he said.

He noted that he did not agree that the case which happened in Easter and which is subject to the magisterial inquiry he had testified in was a pushback.

He said that the state’s assets were spread across five other rescue operations at the same time, which is why a private vessel was used.  He said that any private vessel in the area has the legal obligation to carry out a rescue if they receive an alert.

In this case, the boat which carried out the rescue had a Libyan flag, and with Malta, Lampedusa and other ports being closed that boat decided to return to where it is flagged and disembark there, he concluded.

In reply, a statement issued by 32 NGOs said they "are utterly disillusioned by the news that, once more, in the space of less than two weeks, almost 150 people are stranded out at sea in Malta’s SAR, while Malta waits for other European states to step in and offer support."

"We recognise the challenges that Malta and Italy are facing to deal with the increase in boat arrivals with little or no support from other Member States. In spite of this and although facing demanding circumstances, the Italian authorities allowed rescued migrants from two vessels to disembark in Lampedusa this weekend," the NGOs said.

"However, these challenges cannot be used as an excuse to abdicate our responsibility to save lives and to ensure that the rights of all within our jurisdiction are safeguarded. This duty is not only a legal but also a moral imperative which can never be subjected to political conditions, such as the availability of concrete offers of relocation.

"While it is no doubt important to safeguard public health and secure our national borders, this cannot, and should never be, at the cost of the life or safety of others, especially those fleeing conflict zones and seeking refuge. We urge the government to prioritise the safety and security of the men, women and children on board the Marina and Europa II, and to allow the rescued migrants to disembark in Malta. We also appeal to Member States to act on the basis of the principle of solidarity and the fair sharing of responsibilities.

"Case-by-case arrangements and ad hoc solutions are contributing to dangerous political games and unnecessary suffering. We urge you to prioritise life and let them in!"

Photo Alenka Falzon