Malta Joins Regional Push To Tackle Irregular Migration

Malta joined Italy, Cyprus and Greece in a high-level meeting in Rome yesterday aimed at strengthening regional cooperation on irregular migration and preventing potential migration crises linked to instability in the Middle East.

Minister for Home Affairs and Security Glenn Bedingfield met with Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, Cyprus' Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides and Greece's Migration Minister Athanasios Plevris.

The meeting, announced by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the Cyprus Summit in April, focused on developing joint proposals to be presented at European Union level.

The ministers stressed the need to enhance investigative cooperation to dismantle migrant smuggling networks and reaffirmed that search and rescue operations at sea remain the responsibility of States.

They also raised concerns that NGO activity in certain maritime areas could encourage irregular departures from North Africa.

The meeting also agreed to combat asylum abuse, promote assisted voluntary returns and strengthen the EU's external borders through closer coordination and a new network of national contact points.

#MaltaDaily