The MED5 is an informal grouping of five EU Mediterranean frontline states — Malta, Italy, Greece, Spain and Cyprus. These five countries coordinate on migration, border-management and asylum policy to present a united front. Last weekend’s meeting solidified a shared fair but firm approach to migration. The MED5 group reaffirmed its commitment to fully implement the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, while demanding stronger EU support, including tangible solidarity and adequate funding for frontline countries. They also emphasized strengthening border control and return systems for migrants who do not qualify for asylum, plus deeper cooperation with origin and transit countries, viewing prevention and return as essential to tackling irregular migration.
For Malta specifically, the summit offered a chance to highlight the country’s recent results. Over the past five years irregular sea arrivals have dropped by 93%, and returns of irregular migrants have risen to roughly 75–80%. Malta’s representative underlined that despite these improvements, collaboration with the other MED5 states and the EU remains crucial to manage migration fairly and effectively across all member states.
For military aviation enthusiasts, the summit brought about two rare military state aircraft, a Spanish Air Force Dassault Falcon 900 ‘T.18-3’, and the first ever visit at LMML by the Italian Air Force Gulfstream VC-650A ‘MM62343’.
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