Malta takes over EU Presidency at extraordinary time - EU

BRUSSELS, Jan 11 (KUNA) -- The President of the European Council Donald Tusk said Wednesday that it is "good fortune that the Maltese EU Presidency comes at this extraordinary time, a time full of new challenges and dramatic upheavals." Speaking in Valetta during the official launch of the Malta EU Presidency this evening he said that in these six months, they we will celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the EU Treaty, and the Brexit procedure will formally be launched.
The spring will also be a demanding test for the whole of the EU with regard to migration, especially on the Central Mediterranean Routem, he said.
For his part, Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta said "our top agenda will be migration and he called for long term strategy and better border control to deal with the situation." Malta, the smallest EU member state, is holding the EU Presidency for the first time.
During the first 6 months of 2017, the Malta presidency will focus on six key areas; migration, single market, security, social inclusion, Europe's neighbors, and maritime sector. (end) nk.ma