Migrants disembark after being transferred to Maltese army boats at sea and brought to Valletta harbor, Malta, April 13, 2019. Two Maltese soldier are being questioned in an attack that left one migrant dead and two wounded.
BRUSSELS - Four European Union nations are proposing a "fast-track system" for getting migrants off boats in trouble in the Mediterranean Sea and the asylum-seekers on board divided among countries willing to take them.
A statement obtained by European civil liberties watchdog Statewatch says Germany, France, Italy and Malta foresee a process that would screen migrants, relocate asylum-seekers and return those who don't qualify or never applied for protection — all within four weeks.
The Associated Press confirmed the statement's authenticity on Tuesday. The sponsoring nations plan to seek approval from other EU members next week.
The document says EU members prepared to take in asylum-seekers and handle their applications would make "pre-declared pledges" of some kind.
It says the EU would provide "financial, technical and operational assistance" to those countries.