We do our bit to help Italy with migration, says OPM

Malta was already showing its share of solidarity with the Italian government by deploying assets for migrant search and rescue missions, a spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister said yesterday. “Cooperation with Italian authorities remains excellent and Malta keeps steadfast in fulfilling all its obligations at law,” he told The Sunday Times of Malta.  The Auberge de Castille was asked to react to the Italian government’s announcement that it was considering closing its ports to vessels bearing rescued migrants if it was not given help in carrying the burden. The spokesman did not say when asked whether the government would extend its solidarity to the Italian government even further by accepting rescue vessels loaded with migrants.  More than 73,000 migrants have been rescued off the coast of Libya and brought to Italy this year, on top of the 181,000 who arrived last year, and Rome’s patience is reportedly running out. Meanwhile, not a single migrant has arrived in Malta by boat this year, after the number dropped by a massive 80 per cent in 2015 to just 106. Pressed on the issue, the spokesman said that Malta was among the EU countries which entered and implemented...