Prodi's criticism

For those who are even slightly familiar with American gubernatorial politics, they will be well aware that Arnie is none other then Arnold Schwarzenegger, the current governor of California. Yet if America has a tough talking and tough-looking man in the form of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Malta has its own answer in the form of Arnold Cassola, the Maltese born Italian MP sitting currently in the government supporting benches in the Italian Parliament.

Lately we have seen Italian Socialist Prime Minister Romano Prodi criticising a European Parliament decision to give Malta its long sought for sixth seat. Mr Prodi found it fit to criticise the decision very publicly in the Italian press and in so doing went even as far as getting certain well-established and non-debatable facts wrong.

While obviously I find Mr Prodi's attitude as being highly contrary to the nature of the special bond between Malta and Italy, and as a stab in the back for Malta seeing that traditionally Italy has always been one of our best diplomatic partners in the international sphere, the fact remains that Mr Prodi is the Prime Minister of Italy and as such his only interest is that of guarding Italian interests. Clearly Mr Prodi did just that putting aside all friendship and loyalty between Italy and Malta.

What I fail to understand is how Prof. Cassola can just sit by, and accept such a comment from his Prime Minister and head of his coalition, giving only a very much watered down reaction. Where is Prof. Cassola at the moment when Malta needs a voice in the Italian Parliament to sound its disapproval? Why has Prof Cassola not condemned the comment outright without any sort of reservations seeing that he had in the past campaigned and lobbied in favour of the sixth seat?

Indeed a case of putting priorities right with Prof. Cassola having to choose between nation and party and Mr Prodi being much better off concentrating on his always fragmented and ever failing government overridden by internal strife and political uncertainty.