Nationalist MEP Peter Agius has defended the European Parliament’s move to advance controversial migration reforms, insisting the proposal is a necessary step for Malta and the wider EU.Speaking after the vote, Agius said lawmakers “voted strongly” in favour of allowing the European Union to make use of so-called return hubs, centres outside EU territory where rejected asylum seekers could be sent while awaiting deportation.He stressed that migrants entitled to international protection must continue to be supported.“Anyone who has the right to international protection and arrives, for example, in Malta, we must protect them, we must help them,” he said.However, he argued that those who do not qualify to remain should be returned more efficiently, with stronger backing from the EU.“An immigrant who does not have the right to come to Malta, we must be able to send them back, and Europe needs to help us with this,” Agius said, pointing to proposed hubs in countries such as Tunisia and Morocco as part of the solution.According to Agius, the system would see migrants transferred to these centres before being returned to their country of origin.He described the vote as “an important step”, highlighting Malta’s geographical position at the centre of Mediterranean migration routes.“We want a strong Europe because Malta is in the middle of the Mediterranean, right between where many migrants come from in Africa and their destination, which is Europe,” he said.Agius acknowledged the vote was controversial, particularly amid criticism that the European People’s Party worked closely with far-right groups to secure support.However, he rejected this characterisation, insisting the reform has long been a priority.“This has always been a priority for us, a priority for European citizens, and so we led these negotiations,” he said.He also downplayed reports of leaked communications between political groups, which have fuelled criticism over how the agreement was reached.“For us in Malta, this does not mean much,” he said.“What matters is that we have this agreement which helps us as a country and gives peace of mind to the Maltese people.”The proposal now moves into negotiations between EU institutions, where its final shape, including legal safeguards and implementation of return hubs, will be decided.What do you make of his statement? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)•