A few weeks ago the Italian government revoked a decisive referendum vote taken in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 when the Italians voted massively against the introduction of nuclear power plants. At that time, Italy, a pioneer of civil nuclear technology, abandoned all such projects and its four reactors were closed by 1990.
Fuelled by Silvio Berlusconi's commitment in favour of nuclear energy, the Italian government has recently "finalised and approved the legislative decree that sets out the procedures to re-start nuclear power". The Italian Prime Minister argues that Italy is the only member of the Group of Eight industrialised countries without nuclear power. He wants to ensure a more secure and reliable energy supply and reduce Italy's reliance on imported fuels.
According to sources 12 new, generation nuclear power plants are to be constructed by 2013 and set to be functional in 2020. In fact, last year, the United States and Italy signed a nuclear cooperation agreement enlisting US companies to help build a string of nuclear power stations across the length and breadth of Italy. Industry Minister Claudio Scajola has revealed that construction companies will determine the most suitable sites and the necessary authorisation would be given without any delays.
Understandably, this situation has already sparked spontaneous protests in many Italian regions, which, though in favour of nuclear energy, unashamedly adopt the NIMBY code - not in my backyard.
In the prevailing situation it is well to recall that, less than two years ago, Alternattiva Demokratika requested Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to clarify a media report in the Italian newspaper Il Sole - 24 Ore that mentioned Malta, Albania and Montenegro as possible locations for nuclear power plants. This is completely in line with Mr Berlusconi's attempt to construct such sites immediately outside Italian territory. In fact, it has been reported that Albania has already succumbed to his overtures and is prepared to "host" a nuclear power plant for Italy.
Furthermore, the governor of the Sicilian region, Raffaele Lombardo, a close associate of Mr Berlusconi's government coalition, in an outburst to correct his gaffe that Malta had gone nuclear, recently remarked: "If nuclear power stations had to be built in Calabria or Malta and the technology was not safe we would still be running risks here in Sicily." Through his Freudian slip, Mr Lombardo was inferring that this calamity would directly affect our islands with tragic consequences if the situation is reversed.
Where does Malta stand in this new scenario ? Has Malta any clear policy or projections with regard to "imported" nuclear energy ? Has Malta been consulted on the matter while the projects are at the drawing-board stage? For once a decision is taken it is very difficult to shake off.
This preoccupation may be dismissed as scaremongering but there is much to be alarmed about and the least one expects is a national debate as the repercussions or benefits of Italy's nuclear initiatives have a direct bearing on the quality of life of our citizens for generations to come. Of course, one of the silver linings of nuclear power plants is the provision of cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy. But the paucity of any discussion on the matter is both baffling and worrying, hence, my justified contempt for this hiatus and the lack of national responses to a development that could have staggering effects on our country.