Malta joins Mediterranean coordination plan on irregular migration

Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield met counterparts from Italy, Cyprus and Greece in Rome to coordinate their approach to irregular migration. The four governments agreed to strengthen investigations into trafficking networks, improve intelligence exchange and establish national contact points for faster communication during emergencies. They also discussed assisted voluntary returns, alleged asylum-system abuse and tighter protection of the EU’s external borders. Instability in the Middle East and the risk of renewed migration pressure were central concerns, with the countries planning to present shared positions in future European negotiations.