The seas around Malta and in particular its Search and Rescue Area are one important arena in which the country’s policies and core values are tested and challenged. It remains difficult to understand, beyond cynicism, what exactly the policy of the government is in the immediate and longer term. In such a context, many desperate and vulnerable people continue to lose their lives in the most horrible of circumstances. While proclaiming adherence to international agreements and laws, the government has adopted a ‘hands off’ policy in daily practice. Claiming not to receive distress alerts, refusing to allow landings in Malta, detaining asylum seekers at sea, and attacking engaged NGOs appears to be the preferred strategy. For many Maltese, certain types of migration (but not all migration) continue to be deemed unacceptable, with the key mantra being the dubious “Malta is full”. Most recently, debate and disagreement has focused on two issues, one immediate – the impact of NGO rescue initiatives – and the other broader and longer term: the role of the EU and EU policy. Despite the evidence from the bulk of research which indicates that the most important factors influencing...
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