MBR_ISSUE 53_JULY-compressed (3)

MALTA
BUSINESS REVIEW
Malta Business Review
The Mediterranean is already a geo-strategic area where several
roots of insecurity threaten to escalate and put regional and
international stability at risk. The regional trends that need to
be urgently addressed include “collapse of failed states, illegal
migration, the developing safe and lawful routes for asylum seekers
and refugees into the EU and on the implementation of the Common
European Asylum System on tackling criminal smuggling, trafficking
and labour exploitation.”
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Coe Smith; Mark Vella; Zia Weise
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The absence of a security arrangement in the Mediterranean
has resulted in a security vacuum in this geo-strategically sensitive part of the world.
This security vacuum creates opportunities for forces of insecurity to strive with the
proliferation of arms in a region “where military procurement is already one of the
highest in the world”. Whereas migrant smuggling, trafficking and labour exploitation are
distinct legal phenomena tackled by distinct legal frameworks at Union and international
level, requiring properly targeted responses, while often overlapping in practice; and
whereas criminal smuggling and trafficking networks can change their modus operandi
very quickly, thus requiring rapidly adapted responses based on the most recent and
accurate data. Efforts to counter the criminal smuggling of migrants should not affect
those providing humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants. We condemn the fact that
the EC has had to wait until the unprecedented humanitarian crisis, which was followed
by a strong reaction of protest and solidarity by civil society, to re-think its failed migration
policies with a holistic approach that includes development, cooperation and respecting
the principle of Policy Coherence for Development, as well as find ways and means to halt
illegal migration, which is disrupting European member states such as Italy and Malta.
We believe that European migration policy should distinguish between ‘refugees’ and
‘economic migrants’ and underline that different approaches should be taken to these
two categories of migrants. Emphasising that the men, women and children affected
by the current crisis are fleeing religious or political persecution, war, dictatorship,
oppression, torture, decapitation, etc., and that their rights as human beings are nonnegotiable,
while the majority of them are covered by the 1951 Geneva Convention on
refugees, which has been ratified by all 28 Member States, it is necessary to try to stem
this unprecedented illegal migration exodus.
Illegal migrants are not registered in official records, thus they avoid contact with
government and formal sectors. Also, illegal migrants break laws and rules and clearly
challenge the credibility of judicial systems and confidence in constitutionally derived
power and authority. Their presence also conflicts with public transfer systems. Illegal
foreign workers do not pay direct income taxes, but on the other hand use public goods
or publicly subsidised services like schooling or medical treatment for their children.
‘Illegal’ compete with ‘legal’ for job opportunities but have the possibility to avoid certain
obligations, costs, taxes and fees compulsory for legal workers. These legal, economic
and social provocations make it easily understandable that politicians and voters are
not willing to accept the phenomenon of illegal migration. Most of the data on illegal
migration are sometimes politically biased and misused.
But the problems with illegal immigration in general, and how much it costs to our
economy, the health care system in particular, are not practical. They are political. One of
our two major parties is for open borders and the other is (albeit tepidly) for controlling
them. What is ironic is that both parties also agree to disagree on such an issue. Only
by standing up for progress and serious development across the sub-saharan Africa and
Middle East, by promoting democracy, freedom and the observance of human rights can
the developed states of the Western world undermine those championing intolerance
and campaigns of terror.
Wishing you a good read.
Martin Vella
Editor-in-Chief
Malta Business Review’s editorial opinions are decided by its Editor, and besides reflecting the Editor’s
opinion, are written to represent a fair and impartial representation of facts, events and provide a correct
analysis of local and international news.
Agents for:
www.maltabusinessreview.net
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