MEP Alex Agius Saliba has defended the European Parliament’s decision to push forward contentious migration reforms, describing the proposal as a important measure for both Malta and the wider EU.When Lovin Malta asked why he voted against the line of the group, Agius Saliba said that while politicians within the European Parliament are given an indication by their political party on how to vote, each politician gives priority to their national interest.“S&E had a position that is completely contrary to Malta’s best interest,” he said.He went on to say that Malta’s best interest on politics regarding immigration is to have more co-ordination and to have those that entered the European Union illegally.Agius Saliba explained that Malta will no longer handle 20% of the returns alone. Instead, under the system proposed today at the Council, any decision made in one EU country will be recognised and respected across all member states.He went on to say that his party is in favour of centres outside of the European Union in which applications would get processed to decrease illegal activity and human trafficking especially in the Mediterranean and to decrease the number of tragedies at sea.Agius Saliba was asked about the fact that today’s vote is considered controversial.“This vote was described as controversial because parliament is split. EPP, a large part of the Renew Europe party and small parts of right parties, together with the extreme right parties that voted in favour of this reform,” he replied. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)Agius Saliba went on to comment on how today’s reform affects Malta.“Malta’s reality, as a country that is on the frontier of the problem- a country in which these challenges are experienced, we need to make sure to have regulation in the European Union not in which everyone washes their hands from the problem and adopting a voluntary burden-sharing, but to have a European system that would be co-ordinated for human trafficking to decrease,” he said.Finally, Agius Saliba said that through this reform, there will not be any “legislative patchwork” and instead there will be 27 systems that do not work in a parallel way.With the system that was discussed today, a person travelling illegally, can be moved to another member state until the process continues for the person is repatriated, Agius Saliba said.What do you make of his comments?•