Burden sharing to be highlighted in European Socialists' manifesto

Malta's calls for burden sharing and solidarity for countries dealing with high migration pressures form an integral part of the Party of European Socialists' manifesto for the upcoming MEP elections, Labour candidate Cyrus Engerer said.

The MEP hopeful's candidature has reiterated Malta's call for solidarity and through his electoral battle cry, Malta l-Ewwel, Engerer is calling on the European Union to implement mechanisms for burden sharing.

"The approved manifesto will propose concrete measures to alleviate the influx of immigrants in Mediterranean countries. Just as Malta offered its hand of solidarity during the financial crisis, it is now crucial for the European Union countries to also offer solidarity to alleviate the influx of migrants," Engerer argued.

Addressing the President of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrat Hannes Swoboda, Cyrus Engerer insisted that the time of action has now come and that the EU must not limit itself to statements but extend its intentions with concrete measures.  

Echoing the government's calls, Engerer insisted that Mediterranean countries should not be left alone to shoulder the influx of migrants, but conversely, all EU countries should shoulder the responsibility.

"These proposals will address the issue of migration and will be highlighted in the manifesto of the European socialists," Engerer said.

He also argued that the manifesto will also encourage the European Union to engage with the asylum seekers' countries of origin and moreover, they will help avoid humanitarian tragedies.