16.06.2007
EGP
Committee commits to assisting Malta
in securing effective assistance from EU to deal with irregular migration
At a meeting of the
Committee of the European Green Party, the EGP Spokespersons and Committee
members have been fully informed by Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson Dr Harry Vassallo of the
critical situation regarding irregular migration in Malta. The EGP committed to assisting
Malta
and other parts of the EU which currently face this challenge alone in securing
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 sharing responsibility 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
so am keenly aware of the limitations of an island 24 kilometres long. If Malta’s
resources are stretched to breaking point, the first to bear the consequences
will be the migrants 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 liaise 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 a key
Green priority to address North-South issues and the present crisis of
irregular migration was anticipated by Greens many years ago. Our warnings and
our call for effective action to address the growing North-South wealth gap,
namely by increasing funds allocated to socially and ecologically sustainable
development, have been ignored.”
Both Spokespersons
confirmed that the EGP Committee will be sending a delegation to Malta
in the near future to obtain firsthand information on the situation to provide
to member parties and other Green Party representatives.
Graham Burgess
Communications Officer
European Green Party
email:graham.burgess@europeangreens.org
Tel no: +32 2 626 0724
Mobile no: +32 477 902 023