Maritime safety policy urged

Malta should take a leading role in the introduction of safety measures on the transportation of oil in the Mediterranean, Alternattiva Demokratika said.

"The ecology of the Mediterranean region requires special protection and, in view of the recent oil spill disaster off Spain we cite the need for strict and urgent implementation of a maritime safety policy to be given primacy, with clear EU rules on inspection and liability leading to the creation of an EU Rapid Reaction Force for environmental disasters in close cooperation with UN bodies such as UNEP/REMPEC.

"Malta should take a leading role to ensure that safety measures are introduced in the Mediterranean. Malta is one of the leading nations in terms of registered ships and together with other Mediterranean countries with similar characteristics such as Cyprus and Greece we have an important role to play.

"In particular, contacts could be made with the Greek government, which assumes the EU presidency in January. An oil spill close to Malta would be a disaster, with the possibility of catastrophic effects on the ecology, the supply of water in our country and our tourist industry," it said in a statement.