‘Saddened’ MP to propose immigration committee

A “deeply saddened” Labour MP Marlene Farrugia is planning to present a Private Member’s motion to set up a parliamentary committee on immigration. “I feel our Parliament should seek a consensual approach on this issue based on a common understanding of what constitutes our national interest,” she said, adding that the committee should include all interested parties. I was against the repatriation of Eritreans in 2002 and I would be against similar actions today,” she told Times of Malta, a day after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s plans to deport migrants to Libya were foiled by the European Court of Human Rights. “The events that happened yesterday provoked in me deep sadness. I am saddened particularly by the fact that our Government had to contemplate the possibility of resorting to such drastic measures in view of the ineffectual actions that had been taken over the past 10 years,” she added. Dr Farrugia was not the only person from the Labour Party side perturbed by what happened on Tuesday. Government sources told Times of Malta there was strong internal criticism from a number of Cabinet members and members of Labour’s parliamentary group. MEP candidate Cyrus Engerer was...