The Fondazzjoni Temi Zammit (FTZ), with the support of the Forum Malta fl-Ewropa (FME) and UHM, is this year implementing a project, SAY EU, AND... ACTION!, funded mainly by the European Commission through its Representation Office in Malta, as part of its Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate. Plan D was launched by Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström to face the challenge of gaining the citizens' trust and confidence in the European project. The Plan seeks to enhance citizen participation in the EU decision-making and discussions on EU issues. 

The project designed by FTZ, FME and UHM consists of a series of focus groups, workshops and public debates, as well as online multimedia tools. The first workshop and public debate focused on immigration issues and was held on Saturday, 29th March, at the University of Malta Lecture Centre. Immigration has definitely been the most debated issue in Malta recently.  In an island like Malta, the topic of 'irregular' immigration and the EU's perceived lack of response to Malta's pleas for burden-sharing solutions to the problem, have been the subject of some negative reactions distancing the Maltese public from European institutions. The public's expectations on the role of Frontex remain largely unfulfilled, and there is a need to increase the dialogue on this issue between Maltese citizens and the EU decision-makers.

It was thus the aim of this activity to offer the general public a forum within which to voice their opinion, as well as inform themselves on the initiatives taken by the EU, and the facts and figures of the immigration situation in our country. Following the negative publicity the island has received in the past months with regard to its treatment of irregular immigrants, both the Maltese public and the EU institutions will have an opportunity to hear each other's views and to come up with a solution based on solidarity, human rights, but also on the economic and geographic reality.