01 September 2020
The Maltese government is to spend €1 million a month to charter a ferry that will host people rescued at sea offshore, according to reports. It is alleged that the move is driven to distract attention from the government's failing response to the pandemic.
Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.
Prime Minister to spend €1m a month to detain migrants on ship (The Shift, link):
"The government will be paying €33,500 a day, or over €1 million a month, to charter a massive vessel to host migrants offshore in a repeat move of a controversial decision taken earlier in the year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country.
In May, Labour Prime Minister Robert Abela’s decision had cost taxpayers €1.7 million. He had justified the move as ‘necessary’ to control infections while taking the populist right-wing stand that ‘the EU must carry the burden’. It had failed and the migrants were brought onshore.
(...)
It is not yet known where the 127-metre-long vessel, which can host more than 350 passengers, will be moored while serving as an offshore detention facility.
The Shift is informed that while the government is trying to finance this massive expense using EU funds, Brussels has again signalled its difficulty to approve such spending on such a questionable move widely condemned by human rights organisations.
(...)
The Prime Minister’s decision is aimed at placating increasing discomfort with the Labour administration on the handling of the migration and COVID-19 issues. Only weeks after Abela declared that Malta ‘had won the war’ on the pandemic and that there would be no second wave, the country is listed as having the second highest infection rate per 100,000 people."
Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.
Statewatch does not have a corporate view, nor does it seek to create one, the views expressed are those of the author. Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement. Registered UK charity number: 1154784. Registered UK company number: 08480724. Registered company name: The Libertarian Research & Education Trust. Registered office: MayDay Rooms, 88 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1DH. © Statewatch ISSN 1756-851X. Personal usage as private individuals "fair dealing" is allowed. We also welcome links to material on our site. Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions of that licence and to local copyright law.