Prime Minister calls for human traffickers to be brought to justice by international courts

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has called for countries to work together on the issue of human traffickers for their role in last year’s migration crisis

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat co-chairing a round table at a Migration Summit at the UN headquarters in New York. Photo: Jason Borg
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat co-chairing a round table at a Migration Summit at the UN headquarters in New York. Photo: Jason Borg

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat called for action to be taken against human traffickers, treating them as criminals and solidifying national programmes and international co-operation in order to combat the crime.

Addressing a Migration Summit at UN headquarters in New York, the Prime Minister said that the immigration is becoming more and more involved with organised crime networks.

“These criminals take advantage of people who are fleeing conflict, war and persecution in their countries. It’s time to consider bringing these people before international courts,” he said.

Muscat spoke on Malta's experience and how the island, despite having received thousands of migrants in the past, had still offered to take migrants from Italy and Greece as part of the EU relocation programme. 

“The management of the EU's borders are a collective responsibility and the solution should be sought through joint action on the basis of international solidarity,” he said.

“It’s high time we take strong action with regards to human traffickers. We must attack this crime by enforcing national programmes and improving regional co-operation on an international level. On this ground, human traffickers should be brought before international courts,” Muscat reiterated.

Muscat also stressed that not enough is being done on an international level and appealed for countries to work together.

“This is not down to one country, region, continent or to Europe alone, it is a global problem,” he said.