VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The international NGO Alarm Phone confirmed that “a tragic shipwreck took place off Pylos despite that the Greek, Italian and Maltese authorities were informed about the boat full of migrants in distress since Last a Tuesday”.
According to Alarm Phone the last contact with the migrants from as made just before it capsized during the early hours of last Wednesday.
104 migrants were rescued, while 79 people have so far been found drowned. However, the number of death migrants is expected to increase. It is still unclear how many migrants were onboard the boat, with numbers varies from 400 up to 750 people.
The number of missing and assumed drowned would be 567 people if there were 750 people onboard, that would put the total death toll to almost 650 people.
The boat was packed on the outside of the deck and with hundreds of people inside the boat packed like sardines. The rescued and the those who were found drowned are most likely the migrants who were outside the boat.
According to testimonies from survivors the boat was packed with people, outside and inside, inside was mainly women and children while the men was sitting outside. “If this information is correct, most of the survivors and drowned are men, since they were the ones sitting outside on the boat,” said Alarm Phone.
Pictures published after the people arrived in the port of Kalamate, support the theory that the survivors were mainly men, no women or children were seen in any of the published pictures.
The chance of finding people who were trapped inside the boat when it went down, would be extremely difficult because it is 5,000 meters below sea level.
All survivors were taken to the port in Kalamate, where approximately 30 people needed medical care and transported to the hospital, and will eventually be taken to the reception and identification center in Malakasa. Nationalities of the people onboard were reported to be from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine and Egypt.
Greecès caretaker PM Ioannis Sarmas declared three days of mourning for the victims of one of the country’s deadliest shipwrecks involving refugees.
The European Agency Frontex confirmed that its surveillance aircraft detected the boat on Tuesday at 09:47 and immediately informed the competent authorities. It added that the agency is ready to support the Greek authorities in the ongoing SAR operation. “We are deeply moved by the tragic events that are unfolding off the coast of Greece. The search and rescue operation coordinated by Greek authorities is ongoing.”
In a statement, Alarm Phone urged all authorities to “Stop blaming people on the move for trying to escape your violence!
Stop blaming people on the move for their own death! Stop pushbacks, end death at sea, tear down Europès borders!”

– photo Aegean Boat Report –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The United Nations urged Libya to treat migrants and asylum seekers with dignity, highlighting concerns over their treatment including arbitrary detention and mass expulsion. “Libyan authorities have arrested thousands of men, women and children from the streets and their homes or following raids on alleged traffickers’ camps and warehouses,” the UN’s Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement. Many, including “pregnant women and children”, are held in “overcrowded and unsanitary” conditions, UNSMIL said.
Authorities must grant UN agencies and aid organisations “unimpeded access to detainees in need of urgent protection”, UNSMIL added. Libya is a key departure point for migrants who are often fleeing conflict and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. They seek to reach Italian shores just 290 kilometres to the north across the Mediterranean Sea. Libya hosts more than 600 000 migrants, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Most enter illegally by crossing vast deserts to enter the country’s porous southern border. Vessels carrying migrants off its coast are regularly intercepted by the Libyan navy – even in international waters – with those on board forcibly returned and placed in detention centres. Since the beginning of 2023, more than 7 000 migrants have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, the IOM said. More than 600 have drowned in attempted crossings to Europe and 368 people are missing, the agency added. In the same period, more than 50 000 migrants have arrived in Italy including more than 22,000 from Libya, according to the UN’s refugee agency.
(ITALPRESS).
-photo credit agenziafotogramma.it-

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The leader of the Nationalist Party Bernard Grech hailed the memory of Silvio Berlusconi and described him as “Prime Minister of Italy for several years, political leader and above all a great friend of Malta”.

On Twitter, the leader of the Nationalist Party recalled how Silvio Berlusconi supported Malta from the beginning on the path to joining the European Union.

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party has expressed its condolences over Berlusconìs death, saying he was a friend of Malta who had always sought to improve bilateral relations.

He recalled that Berlusconi led Italy through the years of major political changes and had always expressed his support for Maltàs accession to the European Union and that he supported Malta as a member state.

Former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who met with Berlusconi on numerous occasions said “his relationship with Malta was a good and strong one.” Gonzi also referred to the various European Council meetings especially discussions on issues that were of a European dimension and of major interest for Italy and Malta. “We shared the same vision of what should be happening in the Mediterranean, especially during those moments in time when there was one crisis after another – such as the 2011 Arab Spring and the Libya uprising – and when there was need for us to work together.” He mentioned in particular the migration issue and added “there were occasions when we disagreed but in all instances, with no exceptions, Berlusconi agreed on compromised solutions that were in the best interest of Malta.”

Former Foreign Minister Tonio Borg described Berlusconi as a controversial figure for a number of reasons but, as regards to Malta, he loved Malta. “Each time we requested some help, he always said yes. He always used to seek a solution. Even after we joined the EU, Italy continued to help Malta financially.”

Meanwhile, Nationalist Party MEP David Casa remembered Silvio Berlusconi as “a colleague at the European Parliament, my personal friend and a friend of Malta.”

He added “he was a pillar of the European Peoplès Party and will remain known as one of the most memorable leaders of the Italian Republic. His political legacy will continue to influence world politics for years to come.”

Berlusconi visited Malta on several occasions, one of the most recent being the 2017 congress of the European Peoplès Party.

– photo Agenziafotogramma.it –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – 400 migrants are in distress in the south of Sicily. This was confirmed by the international NGO Alarm Phone. The Ngo added that it is in contact with a group of migrants traveling on a big fishing vessel. “They say they are exhausted and out of food and drinking water after the long journey,” said Alarm Phone in a tweet, adding that, “they ask for urgent rescue!”. Meanwhile, the Ngo SeaWatch accused the Maltese authorities of giving orders to a merchant vessel to continue with its voyage despite a boat with 25 migrants who are in distress in the Mediterranean risking drowning. This was also confirmed by the Ngo Alarm Phone saying that the 25 migrants on board are already fetching water out of the boat. SeaWatch tweeted that the merchant ship Merv Marseille operated by Maersk was originally on its way to the boat but was ordered by Malta to move on. It also said that two other merchant ships were close to the boat in distress and were ordered to move on by Malta’s rescue coordination center. SeaWatch alerted the authorities that migrants are drowning and accused the European Union of not only does not rescue but actively preventing it.
(ITALPRESS).

Photo Credits: www.agenziafotogramma.it

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Since Russia’s occupation of Ukraine in February 2022, Malta has granted 1,888 Temporary Protection Certificates to persons fleeing the war. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, of these, 263 were granted between January and April 2023. Most of the applicants for the temporary protection in 2023 have been Ukrainian nationals, except for two persons – one adult female and one adult male from Russia. The Unhcr said that women and children account for about 75% of the certificates issued during 2023, and 62% of adult males are over 35 years old. The escalation of the armed conflict in Ukraine caused civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, forcing people to flee their homes and seek safety abroad. More than 14 million people have fled their homes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, numbers published by the United Nations show. Of whom, almost seven million are left for neighbouring countries, while eight million people are displaced inside Ukraine itself. (ITALPRESS).

Photo Credits: www.agenziafotogramma.it

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltàs Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri declared that the agreement reached during this week’s Home Affairs Ministers of EU member states regarding Europès new policy on migration and asylum “does not provide peace of mind that Maltàs needs will be addressed, and at the same time increases the current burden, with further responsibilities which were discussed.”
Malta, along with Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Slovakia, abstained while Hungary and Poland voted against the agreement. The EU’s plan for migration was presented three years ago by European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.
Minister Camilleri explained that this agreement does not provide support in case Malta requires help due to an influx of immigrants which leads to a crisis. “For other countries, it may entail thousands, but for us, it may be just a few hundred or a small number of boats.”
He declared that the reform is not just nor functional and asked whether it will provide immediate needs that arise. He also questioned whether the reform will strike a balance with the new burdens which border countries such as Malta will need to face.
While acknowledging that a number of EU countries have a problem with secondary movements, Minister Camilleri insisted that these can be avoided, when primary arrivals are prevented to happen when everyone works towards the common goal of reducing primary movements.
He declared that Malta will continue working strongly to root out those who are not eligible for protection in Malta and to repatriate them.
While confirming that the primary arrivals in Malta are from Libya, he declared that the agreements with Libya are reaping results, however, he added that it is not fair to penalize Malta for saving people in distress, especially in a situation in which some are leading to more immigrants arriving in Malta.
Minister Camilleri added that the new responsibilities put forward by the EU Commission “will add to existing burdens in regards to the Dublin criteria.” Minister Camilleri added that the new responsibilities, which include obligatory procedures at the borders, might look good on paper. Still, in the practical context of maritime borders, they will neither prevent arrivals nor secondary movements.
He stated that although the proposed solidarity mechanism is mandatory, it is still flexible and somewhat weak, as it does not provide the necessary guarantees member states need to meet them. He explained that the mechanism proposed will still lead to deficiencies in relation to solidarity, and may be insignificant in relation to relocation. He insisted that solidarity needs to be based on objective criteria that reflect the reality of border countries.
Maltàs Home Affairs Minister observed that the procedures discussed will not address current challenges and insisted on new arrangements with third countries.

– foto: agenziafotogramma.it

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese government led by the Labour party is proposing to endorse the Partnership for Peace (PfP) agreement, it had opposed with determination in 1995 and eventually, former Labour Prime Minister Alfred Sant pulled Malta out of the NATO programme immediately upon his election in 1996. Now in the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, the Labour government through the Foreign Minister Ian Borg is arguing that a new dimension exists for Malta to have its PfP membership retained. The Nationalist Opposition declared that the Labour government is politically justifying what the Nationalist Party has been saying all these years; that participation in the PfP does not, in any way, breach our constitutional neutrality. “This is a U-turn for the government,” said Beppe Fenech Adami, the Opposition’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, adding “the Opposition is in favour of Maltàs participation in the PfP and as we said so many years ago, this is no breach of our neutrality as stated by the State Advocate and NATO’s legal office”.
Foreign Minister Ian Borg told the Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee that the Labour government “is recommending the renewal of this agreement, which fully conforms to Maltàs limitations in terms of its constitutional neutrality”.
(ITALPRESS).
– photo credit social media Nato-

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The situation in the Mediterranean was discussed among issues of common interest between Malta and Marocco. Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg said that following the bilateral talks and signing of agreements with Marocco, Malta continued to strengthen its relationship with important partners in the Mediterranean region in order to ensure more stability. Maltese Minister Ian Borg and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, Nasser Bourita spoke about illegal immigration. Borg emphasized the situation in Libya and urged for a Libyan-led political solution to achieve stability in the region. Meanwhile, Bourita said Morocco is willing to cooperate on security and stability issues in Africa and the Mediterranean, with a particular view to the fight against illegal immigration.
The two Ministers reiterated the need for more discussion between all the Mediterranean states so that the migration issue continues to be raised at the top of the agenda and the much-needed issues are addressed. “As a Minister within the Council of Ministers of the European Union, I will continue, as I have always done, to speak and lead forward the importance of discussing the southern neighbourhood,” said Minister Ian Borg.
Meanwhile, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Mediterranean Academy for Diplomatic Studies and the Moroccan Academy for Diplomatic Studies with the aim of strengthening the cooperation in relation to research, training, and exchange in this sector. This will help students from both countries to progress in their studies and build their skills.
During this visit, the Maltese and Moroccan ministers signed memoranda of understanding on education and energy.
A forum to promote business links between Malta and Morocco was organized in Rabat. Borg addressed the forum, reiterating that Malta and North Africa have a lot in common, allowing for more business collaboration and economic expansion between the two continents. “Malta recognizes the strategic importance of Morocco and the existing economic and political stability. It was for this reason that together with Trade Malta, as a government, we felt the need to continue pushing more Maltese businesses to roam in this country,” he said.
(ITALPRESS).
-photo credit Foreign ministry press office-

Source: medNews

KYIV (UKRAINE) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – In a message on Telegram, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Business spoke about “a trip to the region of Kherson to coordinate a meeting on how to deal with the consequences caused by the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam”.
On Telegram, the President of Ukraine referred to the “many important issues that were discussed,” in particular the operational situation in the region following the disaster, the evacuation of the population from potential flooded areas, the end of the emergency caused by the explosion, and the organization of vital support earmarked for the flooded areas. In addition, he referred to the prospects for restoring the ecosystem of region and the operational military situation in the area of the disaster.
The Ukrainian President spoke about the importance to establish the damages and allocate funds to compensate the residents affected by the disaster and to develop a program to offset the losses or transfer the enterprises within the Kherson region”.

– photo Agenziafotogramma.it –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews