McNulthy to Malta: Roll up your sleeves

Speaking during a meeting with Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, British counterpart for immigration Tony Mc Nulthy adopted a no-nonsense approach to the problem the Mediterranean currently faces. Herman Grech for The Times of Malta reports.

"The UK Minister for Immigration has urged the Maltese to make a concerted effort to find a solution to the problem of illegal immigration instead of just being critical.
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Speaking during a news conference, Mr McNulthy took a no-nonsense approach: 'Those who are good at criticising would do better to come on board and seek a solution. It's easier to criticise, but it's less easy to roll up your sleeves, get down to work and try to find a solution... even if I don't blame people for their frustrations.'

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He admitted that the resettlement request would be difficult to execute, saying it was not a key solution to the immigration problem - even if countries like the Netherlands were willing to discuss the matter. In essence, the problem of illegal immigration should be discussed at EU level, Mr McNulthy said.

[In other news,] Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini and his Maltese counterpart Michael Frendo have agreed to put forward a joint request for help in connection with irregular migration during the EU's External Relations Council in Newport later this week.
Malta and Germany are planning to apply for EU funds to operate joint repatriation flights for failed asylum seekers and Malta has also been lobbying Libya to take its share of responsibility in preventing migrants from flooding the island from its shores."