MEP Alfred Sant, speaking on a Smash TV programme chaired by Emmy Bezzina, stated that the EU is facing “an institutional crisis because it lacks a common policy on migration and member states do not agree on issues covering frontier management, a union migration policy and burden sharing proposals. Migration is a European problem.

He added, “today we first try to deter migrants taking to the sea and try to save them when they are in danger of drowning. Then three, four or five EU member states try to share them between themselves, depending on the size of the group. But this is not being done through EU structures.”

Dr Sant pointed out that the Dublin Treaty states that the first member state where migrants’ finger prints are stored or an asylum claim is lodged is responsible for a person’s asylum claim. “Now Italy is saying that it cannot cope with more migrants on its territory.”

“We also never agreed with the Dublin Treaty since Malta cannot support open ended arrivals on migrants on our small island,” he said.

“Schengen is facilitating the movements of migrants from one EU country to another. When according to the Dublin regulation they should stay put in the country which has first received them,” said Dr Sant

According to the MEP, “Italy is providing an Identity Card to migrants and does not keep an open eye on their movements to other EU states, including Malta – so much so that recently 120 migrants coming from Italy were found staying at a disused farm in Qormi.”

He added that “Schengen has permitted a substantial number of migrants from Italy and Austria to enter Bavaria and for the first time in 50 years, German conservatives are fearing losing the looming elections.”

Dr Sant remarked that this is the problem Europe is facing at the moment. “Furthermore fear exists among most Europeans that Islam could overcome the Christian system in Europe,” he said.

“We, the Italians, the French, all Europeans are conscious of this problem. This is a European challenge which entails economic, social and historical factors,” said Dr Sant.

“How do we use funds to control this phenomenon? How are we going to ensure a common European policy acceptable to all EU member states? We’re still far away from finding a solution on migration,” said Alfred Sant.

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