[WATCH] Revision of Dublin rules on migration not plausible at next EU summit, Joseph Muscat says

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this morning that it the chances of an agreement to change the Dublin system regulation on migration was unlikely at the European Council summit scheduled to take place at the end of June.

Muscat was answering journalists’ questions following at visit to the Mosta Technopark where he said despite recent calls for the revision of the regulations, and agreement wasn’t likely.

“I don’t think its plausible and not because of what happened last week or next week,” said Musact. “It hasn’t been the case because of the divide, mostly between east and west in the way we envisage migration policy.”

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The Dublin regulations have been subject of discussions in recent days, following a dispute between Malta and Italy over the MV Aquarius, a research vessel that was carrying 629 rescued migrants and which was blocked from entering both Malta and Italy on Sunday.

Muscat said that the Italian government’s change in policy still needed to be evaluated both locally and at a European level.

“The best way to go about it is to wait for official declarations in the summits rather than relying on tweets or social media,” he added.

Muscat said he would be meeting the Italian Prime Minister, both formally and informally, at the European Council summit, adding that the government’s intention was to have a good and normal relations hip with the Italian government.

“We hope that what has happened in the last couple of days was just a blip in our relationship and our aim is to normalise that relationship.”

Read more: Muscat discusses migration with Macron as Aquarius starts journey to Valencia