Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-05-Speech-3-089"
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"en.20060405.13.3-089"2
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"Mr President of the Republic of Malta, it is a great pleasure for me to welcome you to the European Parliament today and to offer you the opportunity to speak to its Members, who have been discussing your country at length over recent days.
In these special circumstances, Mr President, your visit is very welcome and Parliament therefore has a great interest in hearing what you have to say to us.
Thank you for being here with us. You have the floor.
You are here today as a Head of State, but we are well aware of your long-standing commitment to European integration, as Prime Minister of your country, for many years — the years of Malta’s journey towards the Union.
Almost three years ago you signed the Accession Treaty, which was the culmination of many years and great efforts leading to Malta becoming a member of the European Union.
It is a very important sign of the consensus that exists today in Malta with regard to European integration the fact that last July, you, your country, your
— Malta’s House of Representatives — ratified the Constitutional Treaty unanimously, and that you did so after others had rejected it, is a very important sign of the consensus that exists today in Malta with regard to European integration.
In doing so, you sent a very clear message at a difficult time for the Union and you put an end to the political divisions that had characterised the debate on Europe in your country.
Your presence here in this Chamber reminds us of something very important: European enlargement has been looking to the East for a long time and now Malta, in the South, is reminding us of our Mediterranean vocation and the need to reinforce our dialogue with the countries of the Mediterranean basin.
Your country is at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and has always been at the centre of policies relating to Europe’s southern borders. Relations with the countries of the South today are the main geo-political challenge facing Europe and your country in particular, which is on the front line in this encounter; on the front line in terms of the arrival of many human beings who want to come to Europe, often risking their lives, because they see us as a new Eldorado, whose standard of living acts as a magnet to people suffering the most extreme forms of poverty.
We are therefore aware that great numbers of asylum seekers and immigrants are currently reaching Malta’s shores. We have been discussing this issue here. We have listened to the report drawn up by a delegation from the European Parliament that has had the opportunity to visit the camps. They illustrate the most important challenge facing Europe in terms of defending and protecting human rights and building better relations with its neighbours in the South."@en1
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"Kamra tad-Deputati"1
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