Labour MEP Professor Edward Scicluna in a written intervention during the European Parliament Plenary Session convened in Strasbourg (Wednesday March 9, 2011) deplored the EPP group for their failure to agree a principle of burden sharing and solidarity that would allow small Member States like Malta to cope with mass migration in the aftermath of the Libya crisis.
Prof. Scicluna stated this whilst praising the Socialist and Democrats’ (S&D) Rapporteur, Ana Gomes, for her resolution demanding burden sharing and the adoption of a Common EU Asylum System.
Prof. Scicluna’s full intervention follows:
“I congratulate my colleague Ana Gomes on her resolution. However, I am disappointed by the lack of support from the EPP an agreement urging the EU to prepare a plan and equip itself to cope with the aftermath of the Libyan crisis, particularly concerning migration policy and relocation. We don’t even have a plan A let alone a plan B.
“To date a small island Member State close to Libya has helped in all the ways it could – Malta. 13,000 people of 89 different nationalities were evacuated by its own boats and its own airlines, putting both at great risk. They did this not because of any EU legislation and certainly not because of Frontex. Instead, they acted on humanitarian grounds and waived visa requirements. It was a principle of solidarity.
“Whether or not we are facing an immigration influx of biblical proportions, we cannot tell. For sure it will be large and very significant for Malta. The Maltese people ask not for an application of the Dublin II or Frontex regulations. They demand solidarity and a re-location policy based on the principle of burden-sharing. It is very disappointing and incomprehensible to see the EPP shirking this responsibility. ”
Prof Edward Scicluna dwar in-nuqqas ta’ appogg lil Malta mill-EPP
F’intervent bil-miktub li l-Ewroparlamentari Laburista l-Professur Edward Scicluna ghamel fil-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasbourg din il-gimgha, wera d-dizappunt tieghu ghan-nuqqas ta’ appogg min-naha tal-Grupp tal-Partiti Popolari Ewropej (l-EPP) ghal ftehim biex l-Unjoni Ewropea titheggeg tipprepara pjan u tarma lilha innifisha biex tkopri ma’ dak li se tohloq il-krizi fil-Libja. “Pjan li primarjament ghandu jikkoncerna politika ta’ rilokazzjoni u migrazzjoni. S’issa lanqas ghandna Plan A ahseb u ara kemm ghandna Plan B,” sostna Prof. Scicluna.
Huwa ghamel dan l-intervent waqt li kien qed jifrah lir-Rapporteur tal-Grupp tas-Socjalisti u d-Demokratici (S&D) ghar-rizoluzzjoni taghha bazata fuq il-principju tas-solidarjeta u li l-piz jinqasam (burden sharing).
Prof Scicluna fakkar kif Malta, minkejja c-cokon taghha, ghamlet dak kollu li setghet dwar din il-kwistjoni. Ghenet bis-shih biex gew evakwati mil-Libja, bl-ajru u bil-bahar, aktar minn 13,000 ruh, cittadini ta’ 89 nazzjonalita differenti. Ghamlet dan b’riskju kbir. Malta m’ghamlitx dan ghax hekk kienet obbligata taghmel hekk minn xi legislazzjoni tal-Unjoni Ewropea u certament mhux minhabba l-Frontex. Ghamlet dan fuq bazi umanitarja, tant li nehhiet anke l-htiega li dawn ic-cittadini jkollhom visa biex jidhlu Malta.
“Ma nistghux nghidu jekk hux qeghdin niffaccjaw immigrazzjoni bi proporzjonijiet biblici. Imma certament li se tkun kbira u sinifikattiva hafna ghal Malta. Il-poplu Malti mhux qed jitlob li tkun applikata id-Dublin II jew ir-regolamenti tal-Frontex. Li jrid il-poplu Malti hu s-solidarjeta u politika ta’ rilokazzjoni tar-refugjati bbazata fuq il-principju li l-piz jinqasam. Huwa dizappuntanti u inkrompensibbli li tara lill-EPP jahrab minn din ir-responsabbilta,” temm jgjhid il-Professur Scicluna.