Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1152248
NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 AUGUST 2019 2 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The clearance of the beach in Birżebbuġa fol- lowed inspections last week on landing places in several seaside localities. Transport Malta officials were in Birżebbuġa, Marsaskala, including St Thomas Bay, Sliema, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq and Ġnejna bay last week to in- spect slipways and landing places, the spokesper- son confirmed. He explained that slipways and landing plac- es should be free from any obstacles and there should be "reasonable space" for boat owners to manoeuvre their boat for launching and hauling. "Transport Malta had installed several new sign- posts to remind the public that slipways and land- ing places should not be obstructed," the spokes- person said. He said TM officials asked the owners of vehi- cles and trailers that were obstructing these areas to immediately remove their vehicles. "The main aim of the exercise was educational but the officials issued a number of fines for il- legally parked vehicles and affixed a notice on trailers or boats obstructing slipways or landing places," the spokesperson said. If the owners do not comply and remove the hindrance, the authority will remove them at the owner's expense, he added. "This is what happened in Birżebbuġa on Mon- day when two small boats were removed after they had a warning affixed to them," the spokes- person said. The authority uploaded on Facebook a video of the inspections that drew all round praise from social media users but also several suggestions for further enforcement action in other areas. The authority has promised more inspections in other seaside areas over the coming weeks. Inspections carried out in various localities THE UNHCR is concerned over Italy's new law impos- ing hefty fines on private ves- sels that rescue people and ignore the ban on entry into territorial waters. The law approved last night by the Italian parliament, converted a previous secu- rity decree into legislation. It imposes fines of up to €1 million and the automatic confiscation of the vessel. Charlie Yaxley, spokes- person for the UN refugee agency, said the imposition of penalties on shipmasters could deter or impede sea rescue activities by private vessels at a time when Euro- pean states have largely with- drawn from rescue efforts in the Central Mediterranean. "NGOs play an invalu- able role in saving the lives of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous sea crossing to Europe. The commitment and humanity that motivates their activities should not be criminalised or stigmatised," Yaxley said. Italy's hard line government has embarked on a 'war' with rescue NGOs, preventing their ships from entering ter- ritorial waters to disembark rescued migrants. Carola Rakete, the Ger- man captain of rescue vessel Sea-Watch 3, was arrested in June by the Italian authori- ties and the ship impounded after she defied orders and sailed into Lampedusa after spending days at sea with dozens of rescued African migrants. She was later released by an Italian judge but the govern- ment has now upped the ante by getting legislation passed through parliament. The de- cision has caused concern. NGOs have refused to take rescued migrants back to Libya, which is deemed to be unsafe as a result of the de- teriorating security situation. Yaxley said NGO and com- mercial vessels must not be requested to transfer rescued people to the Libyan Coast Guard, or directed to disem- bark them in Libya. "The extremely volatile security situation, ongoing conflict, widespread reports of human rights violations and routine use of arbitrary detention for people disem- barked back to Libya under- line the fact that it is not a viable place of safety," Yaxley said. The UNHCR called on States to build on recent dis- cussions in Paris to establish a temporary, predictable ar- rangement for disembarking people after they have been rescued at sea. The agency called for shared responsibil- ity amongst States for host- ing and responding to spe- cific needs. Tough Italian law penalising migrant rescue vessels concerns UNHCR Italy has imposed fines of up to €1 million on private vessels that rescue people and defy orders not to enter into territorial waters Sea-Watch 3 captain Carola Rackete was arrested and later released by the Italian authorities in June after she defied orders not to enter into territorial waters with dozens of rescued migrants on board