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James Debono
With a staggering Lm 183 million in financial grants, Italy weighs in as Malta’s main source of foreign aid since independence in 1964. This emerges from a MaltaToday analysis of figures presented in parliament by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.
Malta’s former colonial masters, the United Kingdom, gave Malta Lm 111 million, mostly paid as part of the lease agreement for the use of the military base negotiated by Mintoff in the 1970s. No financial aid from Britain was forthcoming after 1979.
Since independence, Malta has benefited from Lm 472 million in foreign aid, with Italy, the UK and the European Union being the main donors. By 2006, financial aid from the European Union had amounted to Lm 170 million.
While Borg Olivier only managed to snatch Lm 9 million in foreign following independence, Dom Mintoff managed to squeeze Lm 129 million from foreign powers.
Mintoff not only managed to make the British pay dear for the use of the military base prior to 1979, but also diversified Malta’s foreign aid by getting Lm 2 million from Libya in 1972 and Lm 6 million from oil rich Kuwait, Qatar and Abu Dhabi in the aftermath of 1979.
Libya was to donate a further Lm 115,000, which was allocated to the development of the Ta’Qali stadium.
After 1979, Italy became Malta’s major aid donor giving Malta Lm 32 million between 1981 and 1984.
The EU’s first financial donation came in 1980 and consisted of Lm 1.2 million in help to eradicate swine fever.
The sole donation from Germany consisted of Lm 495,000 for the grain silo project in 1983.
The EU only became a significant donor in 1996 when Lm 15 million were allocated to Malta as part of the 4th Financial Protocol.
Foreign aid in the pre-accession period between 1998 and 2003 amounted to Lm 26 million. Financial aid from the EU increased considerably after membership. Between 2004 and the end of 2006, Malta benefited from a funding of Lm 133 million in EU funding since 2004.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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