editorial
A case of Karmenu getting carried away

The EU decision and its implications

If anyone was expecting good news then this was it: the decision to give Malta the possibility of blocking the entry of EU citizens as ‘bona fide’ workers for seven years was a Godsend.

More so after the Irish Nice Treaty snub.

No one could have imagined that the European Union would have been so accommodating to Malta.

But it was and in doing so, it transformed considerably the landscape in the European Union debate. It also contributed to enhancing Richard Cachia Caruana’s stature as a negotiator.

If Alfred Sant can turn this news into sour grapes then hats off to spin. But until now he has not.

But this one will be a difficult one – all the scare-mongering on Sicilians landing in Malta and taking our jobs will be a difficult one to thrust down people’s throats – from now on, that is.

The EU decision is a coin with two sides. It proves that the negotiators on the Maltese side are very conscious of the concerns of the electorate and secondly it also proves that the EU is willing to go out of its way to please the Maltese government. Far too much, in our opinion.

The reason we say this is because we believe that the threat of foreigners flooding our shores was not only unjustified, but overly exaggerated by the nationalistic talk of Labour.

The same can be said about the question of property and the fear that foreigners will raid Malta and buy Maltese out. This, again, fails to acknowledge that Maltese property prices are far from favourable compared to the dirt cheap property in France, Spain, Italy and Greece, which are set in idyllic surroundings.

Not to mention that many foreigners would certainly think twice about buying property in such an unsettling, dirty, dusty and noisy environment.

The message to this latest decision is that the euro-barometer should be turning to the yes camp sooner rather than later.

But let us not be too excited with the latest developments. More hurdles are in the waiting and these may not be as facile as we may think. Tax adjustments, hunting, are two that come to our mind.

Dirty Malta

Take a stroll in the countryside and as the shrubbery dries up, the dirt not only seems to appear but grows like slime mould. We are not only talking of mattresses, old cars and used shotgun cartridges but a plethora of plastic containers brandishing the names of some well-know products and local companies.

Worse still, are the mounds of rubble that pile up in the countryside covering unique garrigue habitats.

And the used car oil which unceremoniously covers our rocks and soil cannot be forgotten.

Everywhere one turns, one finds ruined cobbled walls and unsightly paths. The dirtscape overruns the countryside, and very few locals dare question the quality of our environs.

Sadly, Malta is still waiting for a miracle man or woman to put this house in order. This calls for a concerted effort between all interested parties.