Josie Muscat, leader, Azzjoni Nazzjonali, Marsascala
Malta pressed for time on immigration
Gunter Verheugen is still a friend of Malta and we appreciate his honesty on the sensitive subject of illegal immigration. What he may not know is that when Azzjoni Nazzjonali brought the debate into the open during the last election campaign, it was called racist and xenophobic.
When it said that Frontex would not work, it was indirectly accused of wanting to leave people to drown.
When it said, and still believes, that burden-sharing would not work because most of the member states are facing severe problems from illegal immigration - such as unemployment - Azzjoni Nazzjonali was derided.
Events since then have proved that campaign to be the usual political smearing we love to employ in Malta.
The Prime Minister admitted we had an "invasion" on our hands.
Jacques Barrot did not hesitate to call it an emergency. Mr Verheugen admits that Europe has let us down and that in any other county this would cause serious social unrest.
Of course, the Malta he looks at now is still European. But what Azzjoni Nazzjonali has been asking of people is for them to realise that if, by as early as 2012, we really would have 8,000 immigrants living in the community, how long would this country still look European?
In a Newsweek article of December 2008 about the problems facing Greece, the writer felt he had to include a quote by a shopkeeper in Omonoia Square in Athens: "Of every 10 people walking down this street, one is Greek".
Do we have to wait for this to happen, Mr Verheugen?
Popular Stories
In Discussion
12 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Joe Xuereb
Apr 6th 2009, 23:33
@ Joseph Xuereb. I would sincerely like to think that readers who read my numberous comments on these pages and your one here, today will have enough sense to realise that you and I are not one and the same person. What shall we do? you plead. Forget the 'we' Joseph, and stop drawing 'us' into your plight.
Years ago I read that the Maltese are Europeans because of their culture and their religion, the two very much intertwined. Harping back to what we were/came from two or three thousand years ago is pointless. Especially when you consider that the world's entire population is the progeny of a relatively small group of people. Which means that broadly speaking, to say that people are from where they pitched their tents and acclimatised themselves over time is more realistic.
'
Moses Mula
Apr 6th 2009, 22:40
One more thing I forgot to mention in my previous comment. Is it not a contradiction that while AN are so hostile towards the EU, they are contesting the MEP elections and seem fond to keep Malta not only Maltese but european? Can someone find the logic in this, Because call me stupid, but I sure cannot.
Moses Mula
Apr 6th 2009, 22:16
@Robert Callus, they have no opinion on anything other than immigration simply because they are not a political party, but a far right anti immigrant organization who is trying to enroll more people in the ranks by riding this wave of insecurity and fear shared by appparently many Maltese. Touch wood they are for now only an insignificant organisation but you never know if thry will get ` lucky ` in the future and gain enough votes to have a political say in Malta. It happened quite in a few european countries in these last few years, for example in Italy with the Lega Nord, only that these were in fact political parties with more than anti-immigration sentiments on their agenda.
You can see from some comments here and other blogs that people regard Europe as superior to continents like Africa. Disgusting to say the least. If you think it is strange that I and others consider people from other continents as worthy as us, than call me strange or a do-GOODER , I could not care less. Unemployment caused by immigration? I dare you Josie Muscat to prove this, but you cant because it is a fat lie.
Victor Zammit
Apr 6th 2009, 21:36
@Robert Callus
‘How come Josie and his party have no opinion on anything except illegal migration.’
AN. Could not attack or hardly criticize any of our important issue, simply because the illegal immigrants are an easy, yet convenient scapegoat to attack with out losing VOTES. I sincerely wish a good luck and they manage to have 3 digits number of votes in the coming MEP election!
Robert Callus
Apr 6th 2009, 20:09
How come Josie and his party have no opinion on anything except illegal migration. Imagine (hypothetically) I was considering voting for AN, how can I know their view on the economy and the recession, state of the environment, secularity, civil rights, transport system, and so on?
Kaydee Zammit
Apr 6th 2009, 16:41
@ Joseph Xuereb
Yes, we get it. You're all heart. And WE are tired of being called racist or xenophobic if we dare to open our mouths. Enough said.
John F. Galea
Apr 6th 2009, 16:24
I fully concur with and admire Dr. Josie Muscat who always go straight to the point, without beating round the bush, calling a spade a spade. I cannot comphrehend the public statment made two days ago by a very prominent Gozitan wherein it is stated that these unfortunate migrants have to leave their country of origin as there they are being persecuted. i would suggest to the said prominent Gozitan to delve into the diference between a genuinely asylum seeker and an economic migrant.
Etienne Bonanno
Apr 6th 2009, 16:21
@Joseph Xuereb
"Would we Maltese before we joined the EU have called ourselves european? "
Yes, of course. Without the slightest doubt - for centuries the Maltese considered themselves European.
"One aspect of the EU is to share your land with others. "
With others within the EU, though, not with those outside.
"But we are afraid that our own identity will get lost. So what shall we do? "
The fact is that joining the EU was a conscious choice by the majority of the Maltese people. Africanisation is not - it is being imposed on the Maltese people without their consent.
g. scerri
Apr 6th 2009, 15:44
Don't know about you Mr. Xuereb, since you seem to doubt it. But I have always called myself a European and behaved as one too? What alternatives do you offer?
emanuel muscat
Apr 6th 2009, 15:37
@joseph xuereb
What would you do Mr.Xuereb if somebody knocked on your door asking to be let in and sharing your house with him?You would probably feel pity if asked politely enough, but in time since this guest never leaves and you have to continue supporting him you start feeling annoyed:when others come along for the same treatment ,you start being alarmed;when you discover that a significant number of these guests have infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV you start getting panicky;when the money starts getting short too you will surely want to clean your house out and do not wait till you get a rebellion.This is what sharing your land will mean.
Mark Galea
Apr 6th 2009, 12:20
@Josie Muscat Trying to ride the wave ... as usual ...
Joseph Xuereb
Apr 6th 2009, 10:39
'how long would this country still look European?'
There are people in Malta when they see someone dark-skinned they deduce that this person is an illegal immigrant.
Months ago on Xarabank I was shocked when a libyan with his maltese girlfriend was not allowed in a disco just because he was an arab! And this in Malta, where the language is still influenced from arabic.
Why do we generalize so much? Does it mean that all Arabs are of one kind? In all races in the world there are good ones and bad ones, fat and thin, short and tall..
'how long would this country still look European?'
Would we Maltese before we joined the EU have called ourselves european?
I dont think we are to be called European just because we joined the EU. If we Maltese are so patriotic then why did we join the EU? One aspect of the EU is to share your land with others. But we are afraid that our own identity will get lost. So what shall we do?