Muscat welcomes increased awareness of refugee issue

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has welcomed the increased awareness to the plight of refugees fleeing Africa and the Middle East, but said that there is no solution in sight.

His position and that of Italian Prime Minister Renzi had remained consistent and he would continue Malta’s good work with Italy in this regard, said Muscat, pointing to the Valletta Summit on migration which will take place in November, saying he hoped that this would create a framework for managing Europes growing refugee problem.

Muscat was not getting his hopes up too soon, however, adding the test of the promises being made by mainland European countries on refugees is whether they will continue to act “once the newspapers forget the issue.”

Speaking on ONE radio this morning, Muscat also expressed his satisfaction at the Maltese economy having registered the largest economic growth figures of the past 10 years, increasing from 4% to 5.2%. Malta’s economy is in boisterous good health, boasting a growth rate four times the EU average, whilst at the same time, the number of unemployed has decreased to 5000 persons, said the Prime Minister.

“We have the second-least number of unemployed [per capita], after Germany, but the Oppostion persists in being negative, instead of recognising Malta’s economic success,” said the Prime Minister. He attributed this to what he claims is a clear split in the opposition, between “a faction led by Beppe Fenech Adami who wants the party to be negative in all aspects and another faction of people who are tired of all this negativity.”

For his part, Muscat said he will continue working on the economy and energy sectors, pointing to the success of Enemalta, which was almost bankrupt at his coming to power. The negotiations are currently underway for Enemalta, together with Chinese partners, to invest in other countries. “We have transformed a millstone around the neck of the nation into a regional power which invests in other countries.”