Cecilia Malmström appears unperturbed by Facebook insults

Every day, members of the European Commission have to push for new legislation across the 28 bloc - sometimes irking industries, other times citizens in general.

Like all legislators and politicians, European Commissioners have had to develop a thick skin to make it through their professional life: take the Maltese reaction to the comments by Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström during the MT Salamis saga.

When 102 migrants were left stranded on board a Liberian-flagged oil tanker for two days just outside Malta's territorial waters, the Commission urged the government to allow the migrants to disembark - something which never occurred since Italy eventually accepted to take in the migrants and the MT Salamis sailed towards Syracuse.

But as soon as a spokesperson for Malmström uttered these words during a midday briefing by the European Commission, hundreds of Maltese took to the Commissioner's Facebook page, inundating her wall with insults.

A small band of dissenting Maltese voices did step in to Malmström's defence, in an attempt to make up for the embarrassing comments.

However not even Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's "disassociation" from such comments managed to immediately stop the barrage of insults.

The stream of insults and abuse against Malmström continued even after migrants disembarked in Italy.

However, the 45-year-old Swedish politician appears to be unperturbed by the comments.

Asked whether the offensive comments in her regard had affected her perception of the Maltese people or whether it was just par for the course, a spokesperson for the Malmström appeared to dismiss the issue.

"The Commission of course encourages the freedom of expression but does not have any further comments on the issue raised," the spokesperson said.

In reply to the Maltese sentiment that the island was being left alone in facing the migration phenomenon, the European Commission reiterated it was fully aware of the "particular pressures" facing Malta.

Comparisons are repeatedly drawn between the EU's quick action to bail out debt-ridden banks and the seemingly reluctance of Member States to assist with migration.

The Commission said it has made "a plea" to other Member States to assist Malta in dealing with the inflow, also by relocation from Malta to other Member States of recognised refugees.

Such relocation would be co-financed by the European Refugee Fund.