Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1235679
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 15 APRIL 2020 NEWS Malta wants €100 million to turn war-torn Libya into 'safe port for migrants' MATTHEW VELLA THE Maltese proposal for a €100 million humanitarian 'mission' to Libya has requested that both the EU's border mission (EUBAM) and the United Nation's Support Mission (UNSMIL) be utilised to stop asylum seekers and other mi- grants from leaving Libya by trav- elling at sea to cross to Europe. In a letter to the EU's external relations representative Josep Borrell, foreign minister Evarist Bartolo insisted that alleviating the "difficult circumstances" that migrants are living in, could en- courage them to stay instead of making the crossing to Europe at a time of crisis when countries like Malta and Italy have shut down their ports. "It will also deter the business model of people smugglers who shall no longer be allowed to profit from the misery of the most des- perate," Bartolo and home affairs minister Byron Camilleri wrote in their letter to the European Com- mission. The two ministers insisted the €100m mission was "the only sustainable and realistic option to avoid this humanitarian crisis and save lives of men, women and children" by providing food, med- icines and healthcare equipment to Libyans and migrants living there. They said Malta's resources were stretched but that it would provide logistical support for the humanitarian aid to arrive to its destination. "We are also ready to assist Libya to help in the pur- chase of much-needed medical equipment to treat people." Mirroring previous Italian and pan-European efforts, Malta said it would train Libyan coast guards in strengthening border control and even "concretely ensuring that Libya represents a safe port for the disembarkation of mi- grants." In a stern rebuke to the EU, Bar- tolo and Camilleri said the time when Europe could comfortably afford to indefinitely postpone decisions concerning Libya and Mediterranean migration had ended. "We call on you, your colleagues within the College of Commissioners, the EU Institu- tions, and the European Union as a whole to put into action the Union's aim to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples. This by urgently mobilis- ing all political, legal and econom- ic tools available to stabilise Libya in the immediate term." Bartolo wants a paper of options to be discussed at an emergency Foreign Affairs Council convened at the earliest opportunity and before the upcoming European Council. He described Libya as a complex landscape plagued with difficulties across conflict, health, humanitar- ian and migration dimensions, "all of which are snowballing at this very moment." The COVID-19 crisis is also leaving its mark in Libya by weak- ening an already fragile health sys- tem, with humanitarian assistance on the ground decreasing. "This is resulting in a situation where over 650,000 people await to leave Libyan shores for Europe as the rate of departures acceler- ates due to conflict, disease and lack of basic needs In this horrific context, there are all the ingre- dients for a major humanitarian disaster waiting to happen, as des- perate people look at the Mediter- ranean Sea as their only escape. "The situation is further compli- cated as certain front-line Mem- ber States, including Malta, have closed their ports in view of how all resources, especially medical and those related to security, are being channelled to mitigate and treat the COVID-19 pandemic." Bartolo said that in the last 12 months Malta had disembarked close to 4,500 irregular migrants, one of the highest numbers ever since 2002. He said Malta's mi- grant reception facilities are full and the disembarkation of more migrants will make it impossi- ble to enforce the procedures currently in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "The current situation, there- fore, is already difficult. Within this scenario, Malta is faced with an increased demand for rescue while it has less resources avail- able. Malta is therefore facing a rapidly deteriorating situation. "Unless the EU acts now we risk witnessing an already-difficult sit- uation becoming worse, potential- ly resulting in exacerbated human suffering, and avoidable loss of human life." Foreign minister Evarist Bartolo with EU external relations commissioner Josep Borrell • Photo: Ray Attard MATTHEW AGIUS AN Italian man has been arrested by the police over his alleged involvement in a string of robberies in St Julian's and Gwardamanga, the police said. The man will be arraigned in front of Magistrate Ian Farrugia on Tuesday. Police said the man was arrested after a report was lodged online, a system in- troduced in light of the ongoing COV- ID-19 pandemic. In a separate case on Monday, a wom- an was arrested over her involvement in a string of robberies at elderly residents' homes. The woman wore a surgical mask and posed as a health worker, while her partner, who was arrested last week, carried out the robberies. The first woman arrested last week, 45-year-old Natalie Bonello, was yes- terday condemned to a 30-month jail term after pleading guilty to the charg- es. She was placed on a treatment order to receive help for her drug addiction. The second woman, 43-year-old Jas- mine Azzopardi, was arraigned yester- day and remanded in custody pending the outcome of the case. She chose to remain silent during proceedings. Arrests over robberies Food delivery driver robbed A 28-year-old food delivery driver was robbed while working in San Gwann. The incident took place at 1:15am in Triq it- Tfief. Police said the victim, a foreign nation- al from Pakistan reported that two men stepped in front of the bike he was about to ride soon after he had delivered food to a private residence. The victim said that he had fallen off the bike, and the two men brandished a knife, and asked him to hand over all the money he had on him. They then made off with the cash. No one was injured. A police investigation is ongoing. A similar incident was reported a few days prior in Zabbar.