The European Commission wants to convince the archipelago to reopen its borders to the unvaccinated

Will Malta go back on its decision? On Friday, the central Mediterranean archipelago said it would be the first country in the European Union to close its borders to unvaccinated travelers. The announcement sparked strong reactions in Europe where the common health pass has been adopted and allows residents of member countries to move freely provided they are either vaccinated or have a negative test. The French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clément Beaune had ruled Sunday this decision “contrary to the rules” of the EU.

The European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders recalled that the adoption of the health pass by the EU was binding on member countries and that therefore the European Commission would “discuss with Malta so that it accepts PCR tests”. “There were two decisions: the certificate that we put in place and which is binding on all European states, as proof of your situation with regard to the disease. And then there is a recommendation adopted by the 27 States, which starts from the idea that the passport is sufficient in itself, unless the health situation were to deteriorate, ”he explained on France Inter.

“Against the rules” of the EU

However, this is precisely Malta’s argument to justify the closure of its borders. The country hopes to curb an upsurge in new cases of Covid-19. On June 27, she had recorded no new cases but on Friday, health authorities identified 96, 90% of which were unvaccinated. The small Mediterranean island of 500,000 people boasts of being the most vaccinated country in the EU, with 79% of the adult population having received two doses of the vaccine.

“Depending on the level of contamination by the Delta variant (…), it is normal that we resume measurements, testing and quarantine, but no travel ban,” he continued. “We did not always succeed in coordinating in Europe during this crisis, but for once, we have a health pass (…) which is the same everywhere in Europe”, Clément Beaune insisted at the Grand Rendez-Vous Europe 1 / CNews /The echoes. “What Malta has done (…) should alert us to the fact that if the situation deteriorates, the temptations to close, sometimes even contrary to the rules, multiply”, he stressed, while noting that it was “not a question of sanctioning Malta”.