Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
Labour MEP wants duty-free products for Gozo
Labour MEP John Attard Montalto has urged the government to apply for special EU measures allowing Gozitans to buy duty-free products, such as fuel, in compensation for their double insularity as an island off Malta.
Dr Attard Montalto said this would be possible because other member states have managed to obtain such concessions.
Speaking in the European Parliament, Dr Attard Montalto mentioned Portugal, which has submitted a request to apply a reduced rate of excise duty in the autonomous region of Madeira on locally-produced and consumed rum and liqueurs. Malta should do the same on other products with regard to Gozo, he said.
Since Gozo needed assistance through the introduction of similar special measures, it was the duty of the Maltese government to identify which special measures would be best suited and, subsequently, to apply to the EU to adopt such measures, he argued.
"All EU member states endeavour to get special exemptions for their island regions and it appears Malta is an exception."
Asked by The Times to identify which products could be exempted from excise duties in the case of Gozo, Dr Attard Montalto said that "the government should try to apply to have reduced excise duty on leaded and unleaded petrol and gas oil".
According to Commission sources, however, what Dr Attard Montalto is suggesting cannot really apply to Malta. "Can you imagine what would happen if Gozo started selling duty-free petrol? Probably all Maltese would flock to Gozo to fill up their cars," a Commission official said.
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A. Zahra
Nov 6th 2009, 16:12
Good one John. Gozo is virtually TAX FREE. Have you never dined in a restaurant , hired a flat or even ordered an item of furniture? Gozo operates on a VAT free cash only basis.
Charles Sammut
Nov 6th 2009, 11:48
People used to laugh when KMB floated the idea of granting Gozo independence. Why not? The Italians have San Marino, the French have Monaco, The Spanish have Andorra, Ceuta and Mellia, the UK has the Channel Islands and so on.
The prospect of getting duty free gbejniet would surely make me change my mind and start visiting Gozo after an absence of some 30 years! The savings would certainly offset the time and expense in ferry fares and wardens' tickets.
Mark Seychell
Nov 6th 2009, 11:14
You're having a laugh Dr Attard Montalto. For Portuguese to enter Madeira, one simply crosses by car. For Maltese to go to Gozo, they need to catch a ferry with rates that aren't exactly cheap. All this to fill their car or buy a bottle of rum! Attard Montalto we entrusted you with a further five years in office, please make good use of them and stop wasting everyone's time.
MSciberras
Nov 6th 2009, 10:45
With over 500 Maltese having ‘migrated’ to Gozo over the past year in order to get a subsidized ferry ticket, can you imagine the ensuing stampede if fuel became cheaper in Gozo? Did it need the Commission to tell us this? Of all of Malta’s MEPs, Attard Montalto is the one who is coming perilously close to disgracing his country. His attendance record at the European Parliament is amongst the lowest but it is far from just that. Is the MEP treating his job as an extremely well paid sabbathical interspersed with ocassional bouts of real work? It is not so hard to do this if you are an MEP. A lot of people suspect this - this suggestion reinforces those doubts about him.
lgalea
Nov 6th 2009, 10:12
Tell it to the marines Commission official. Do you think that Maltese people have time to waste to go over to Gozo and pay for the ferry just to fill their tank? I've never heard such idiotic reasoning in my life. The only reason that the official said so is because all customs duties go to the eu while we pay the customs officers to collect them.
lgalea
Nov 6th 2009, 10:08
The Commission official knows what to do with his comment and if s/he doesn't it is to stuff it s/he knows where.
This clearly shows that the eu wants to treat Malta and Gozo as second or even third class citizens because it seems that illegal immigrats have more rights in the eu than Maltese citizens.
The only way out of this mess is OUT OF THE EU.
A.Portelli
Nov 6th 2009, 09:49
Great idea. I for one, would gladly go to Gozo to fill up my car, Pity my Kartanzjan will probably not count anymore for free transport, with the new regulations. And my Kartanzajn will stop me applying for a Disability Pension while I am there, but I am sure that I will be able to find some duty free liquor.
I love my toast with butter but prefer it with Jam.