EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes does not feel that Malta's small size is justification for the country to violate EU rules - which the majority of the people voted in favour of four years ago, the EU's head of representation in Malta has written in her blog.

The Commissioner was in Malta last week to discuss the privatisation of Malta Shipyards, and said before her departure that she did not agree with the government's business plan.

Joanna Drake, head of the EU representation in Malta, said Ms Kroes did not accept excuses, especially from people who were not able to see the full picture.

"She does not think that Malta's small size is justification for Malta to violate EU rules - which the majority of the Maltese people voted for four years ago. At the time, none of them felt that Malta was too small to join the EU," Ms Drake said.

She added that Commissioner Kroes also felt that Malta was not doing enough to enjoy the benefits of the single European market, the biggest market in the world.

"Malta is not embracing the EU competition policy with much enthusiasm. The Commissioner repeated this wherever she went. She warned that competition is not functioning fully, not because Malta is too small, but because not everyone is doing enough for it to work."

Ms Drake pointed out that she had complained in the past about the lack of proper competition in a number of sectors.

"When one sees that a packet of cornflakes costs the same in every shop, one realises that something is not quite right. A difference in price, however small, would show that competition is working. But how can prices be the same everywhere?"

Kroes is the tough talking EU Commissioner in charge of Competition. She was in Malta recently on a whirlwind visit and - as was to be expected- didn’t mince words.

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