Potential income from gas pipeline

The inauguration of the gas pipeline between Italy and Libya in October 2004 was celebrated with plenty of pomp and fanfare amid journalists and VIPs present at the event that occurred under the patronage of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the then Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi. Built at a cost of US$6.6 billion, and hailed as the world's deepest pipeline, reaching a depth of 1,127 meters, the 540-km engineering feat is supplying Italy with 10 per cent of its annual gas needs.

The pipe starts from a place called Mellitah in the North African country and crosses over to the Sicilian town of Gela passing off Malta's east and going through both our national territorial waters (which extend to 12 nautical miles) as well as the contiguous waters (that extend to 24 nautical miles). Unlike what happens in the case of similar pipelines around the world, the Maltese have been totally ignored as regards to revenue from this project.

It is in fact well known that when pipelines pass within the sea areas in which a third country has a commercial interest, that country earns a fee or a royalty for allowing access of the pipeline through the said area.

Malta is earning absolutely nothing out of this and this is simply because the Maltese government has never bothered to lay a legally justifiable claim for financial compensation. Should the Maltese government do as other governments such as the Tunisian one has done, Malta would also benefit from an annual income running into millions of euros.

Maltese taxpayers have a right to ask as to why has this claim never been laid and are to be given a satisfactory explanation from a government that is duty-bound to make the best use of our resources and to make the best out of the potential revenue opportunities that Malta can exploit. Above all, why did this fact come to light due to Azzjoni Nazzjonali's initiative of divulging the details and not via one of the established political parties? Do the PN and MLP have some vested interest in leaving this issue well swept under the carpet?