Frontex Plus 'will not replace Mare Nostrum' - Malmström

EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmström says Malta has received both financial and political support of the Commission: 'unfair to think Malta was left alone... there is no legislative framework to impose responsibility sharing on member states'

Home Affairs EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom - Photo by Ray Attard
Home Affairs EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom - Photo by Ray Attard
EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmström • Video by Ray Attard

Frontex Plus will not replace Italy's Mare Nostrum mission, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström confirmed.

"It is not clear how Frontex plus, or whatever it will be called, is going to be framed as it is still being drafted and tasks and responsibilities have yet to be spelt out. It however will be a bigger operation than Frontex and different from Mare Nostrum," Malmström told reporters in Malta after visiting the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Valletta.

Adding that it was clear from the start that Frontex plus could never replace Mare Nostrum, Malmström said the EU could never carry the financial burden of an EU-wide mission so similar to Italy's.

Malmström is on a two-day visit in Malta, meeting various Cabinet members and will be visiting open and closed detention centres as well.

The Frontex Board has yet to decide what assets will be required to assist the mission. Malmström said she was personally committed to call on member states to contribute to the the mission.

"But Frontex plus is just a part of the biggest challenge Europe has to address while EASO has to ensure that the role played by the mission respects human rights and laws are followed," she said.

Malmström, who's on her third visit to Malta since she was appointed EU Commissioner, took umbrage at comments that the Maltese citizens feel abandoned by the EU.

"The European Commission has been very supportive of Malta, both in political and financial support. It is unfair for the Maltese to think we have abandoned them. I was personally involved in the relocation of 700 migrants from Malta, but the numbers do not depend on us," she said.

Malmström pointed out that Germany, Sweden, France, Italy and Belgium received the most of asylum seekers this year so far. "Rather than burden sharing we should be talking about responsibility sharing...with 28 member states we should be dong much more, but there is no legal mechanism to impose this."

Malmström acknowledged that there have been improvements and amendments to Maltese legislation to live up to EU standards. However she remained concerned about the systematic use of detention.

Fielding questions by reporters, she said ISIS was a terrible threat to the world and the most brutal the world has seen since World War 2, killing children, reporters and minorities.

"These are foreign fighters and not refugees coming to us. They were EU citizens and now we are contributing from the Commission to help member states with preventive measures and issues of radicalisation," she said, when asked whether incoming migrants posed any threat.

Malmström appeared to rubbish reports suggesting that her portfolio will be passed on to a Greek Commissioner once her term comes to an end very soon.

Greece has been widely criticised for its policies and practices towards immigrant populations, described as unjust, inhumane and degrading. 

"I have seen and read so many different reports that we should really wait for the final decision. It is not for me to comment on that and it will be Juncker's decision to decide on that. At the beginning of next week we will know," she said, adding a smile.