Muscat calls for unilateral action if Libya visas dispute persists

Charles Smyth

Mar 15th 2010, 01:04

Dr. Joseph Muscat has no more spine than Italy's Franco Frattini. In stark contrast to these heroes, Switzerland's FM. Micheline Calmy-Rey is showing good leadership vis-à-vis the intolerable Gadhafi and his minions, who think that they can kidnap Swiss and/or other foreigners, at will, and hold them to ransom.

Robert Tagliaferro

Mar 14th 2010, 10:25

The title of this article should be: "Muscat calls for appeasement if Libya visas dispute persists".

T.Vella

Mar 14th 2010, 09:37

Have a good look at all the comments below and you will notice that this very serious issue is turning into a political issue and nobody is taking this matter seriously. As if 4 weeks is not enough to start doing something to resolve this matter, before anybody start writing nonsense think about us Maltese we are caught here as if we leave we are not sure when we'll return back to our job if we still have a job to return to, and what about the Maltese who are stuck in Malta with the possibility of being replaced by other workers who don't face this problem, especially men working on Rigs.
With the present situation in Malta it's not easy to find a job, so can anybody imagined if all Maltese working in Libya have to end up jobless.
If Dr.Muscat can do something to help we must encourage him, I'm sure that he can be given good advice by Dom Mintoff and Dr. Karmenu how to handle this situation so please let these people do their job without interfering with stupid comments from people who don't really care what would be the results.

J Martinelli

Mar 13th 2010, 21:40

Quick, man the patrol boats! Gozo Channel get your ships ready for action! Good thing the new patrol boats arrived in the last few weeks. Maybe it was in anticipation of Joseph urging the government to take 'unilateral action'?

""The time has come for action by the Maltese government,...Solutions are limited, but they exist"

What action, what solutions? For a change come up with ONE solution, Joe! Don't you think that those in government know better what and when and how they are to proceed in a situation like this?

This is time for a diplomatic solution not posing for the gallery, Joseph!

Victor Fiorini

Mar 13th 2010, 21:10

What is he talking about? What unilateral actions can Malta take? This guy gets more stupid by the day...

Steve Borg

Mar 13th 2010, 20:22

I have been stranded here in Malta for the last four weeks and have also tried twice to enter the country but was sent back on the same flight. However what irked me most was that on my last attempt (11/3/2010) all the Italians onboard (about 10 in total) were let into the country without any problems whatsover, while me and the rest of the Maltese people were turned back. How about the government, opposition and anybody who has got a say in this matter starting doing something before we keep on losing business and jobs to English/American/Italian companies. While I believe the minister who visited Libya did his best in this matter I think it was already a bit too late after almost a four weeks dispute.

If you see the amount of tax we pay in Malta from the wages we get from Libya (apart from the business we generate in Malta) it should be enough to sort this matter regardless of outcome

sandro pace

Mar 13th 2010, 20:10

Those who see things in a neutral eye viz. our two big parties, will see this as an act of unity.
Tonio Borg rightly so may take a political action when he so deems fit, and this is backed by the PL. Diplomacy alone may not always succeed. One can talk ad infintum. This holds for other things where we have disputes.

However, I cannot help but not noticing that if the mentioned solution (opting out of Schengen if that is) had been initially proposed by the PL, and it was not in the Govt.'s agenda all hell will have broken lose. Net News would have made a meal out of PL's "Euroscepticism" and all the bla bla bla.

The hypocricy in maltese politics is reaching unbearable levels. There are still people who raise the EU ridiculously to God level, something without which we would have died. It is hardly the truth. On the contrary.

joseph farrugia

Mar 13th 2010, 18:59

Ghal gid nazzjonali lest biex jghin jghid Joseph Muscat,nisperaw li jekk ikun hemm xi meeting fl-EU u jkun hemm xi division fil-parlament jghati il pairing ghax diga kien kazi fejn Malta kienet assenti f'meetings ohra li kienu ta' gid ghal Malta u ma naghtax il pairing ghax daqsekk qalbhom tahraqhom ghal poplu malti.

Mary Ann Borg

Mar 13th 2010, 18:46

OK, any one of the Labour sypathisers here explains to us what is exactly that dear Joseph is suggesting? Stay in the queue in case you all tumble over each other.............

Martin Cassar

Mar 13th 2010, 18:41

Please spare few minutes and read what Dr. John Attard Montalto sees behind this Libya-Switzerland visa spat.

A foreign policy test for Europe
John Attard Montalto

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100312/opinion/a-foreign-policy-test-for-europe


Our first issue is that we have focused on the current visa dispute and singled-out this issue from many other deep rooted FINANCIAL and POLITICAL issues that touch the core principles of the EU as a whole. And our biggest dilemma when any problem arises is that, every body says we must do something while nobody actually says what this thing is!

P. Schembri

Mar 13th 2010, 18:23

Why Joseph Muscat didn't give proposals or suggestions? Haven't you heard before the word strategy, or in the national interest? Joseph Muscat is being prudent in his choice of words! And all blue-eyes, did the PN ever suggested anything when Malta was at loggerheads with Libya? Oh now I remember. The PN went to Libya to advise against the Malta Government, which at that time was an LP government!

mspiteri

Mar 13th 2010, 17:53

Do you have a solution Dr. Muscat? Can you please explain what you would do if you were Malta's Prime Minister?

G. Mangion

Mar 13th 2010, 17:51

After Weeks j.m is trying to get a free ride by repeating, Staments of the Hon Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, J. M if you really want to assure the government of your backing if it makes these choices in the national interest why did you stay Gallerija for such a long time !. About (Solutions are limited, but they exist) Can we here at least one micro bit of a limited one ? that Won't put the Maltese Worker in a very bad & sad situation..........
Hope this gets in !

J. Schembri

Mar 13th 2010, 17:20

I cannot understand what are his 'limited solutions'. It seems more likely that he knows that the government has a solution which he cannot criticise.

John English

Mar 13th 2010, 17:19

When I read comments such as those dished out by Mr Seychell and others of his like confirms my belief that though we have been an independent country since 1964 we still need to work very hard to be a nation. The politics of yesterday have long gone but it appears that some people are still living in a time-warp. The Swiss/Libyan issue is of national concern to Malta. It is affecting our economic and commercial life-line with Libya. It is affecting businesses and employment. So let's grow up and support our politicians, whether blue or red or whatever colour, to try to find a solution to this troubling problem.

Nikki Zahra

Mar 13th 2010, 16:40

Hear hear to all! Perhaps we should reconsider our participation in Schengen. Could it be that it has closed more doors than it has opened?

Peter Paul Borg

Mar 13th 2010, 15:56

In one of my comments regarding this matter I previously thanked Ministers C. Mifsud Bonnici and T. Borg for their immediate response in trying to resolve the Libya visa issue for Maltese traveling to Libya.

It is now only fair to also thank Dr. J. Muscat for backing the government regarding this matter.

Emmanuel Vella

Mar 13th 2010, 15:42

This is what I call mature politics. First comes the national interest, then the party's interest. Well done Dr. Muscat. Let us all keep the good work!

L Gatt

Mar 13th 2010, 15:38

prosit....well said

Michael Seychell

Mar 13th 2010, 15:31

Dear Dr. Muscat all you did in this case was join the government wagon whilst confirming what has already been said by Minister Tonio Borg, when he stated that Malta will act on its own if a solution is not found.

It is evident from what you said - at least according to this report - that as usual you went a round in circles without making any suggestions on any action that Malta can take.

I am morally convinced that talking on this this issue was only meant to give the impression that JM has all the solutions, and when this is finally solved his naive followers will clapp their hands thinking that had Joseph did not raise thie issue in the conference, it would have not been solved. In other words smiling Joe always play for the gallaria.

Had Josepf Muscat chosen a different carrer say a singer or actor, he would have made a big success, but he still has to prove his mettle as a politician.

Michael Seychell
Tal-Pieta

a.dalli

Mar 13th 2010, 15:27

Well said u Grazzi

ASpiteri

Mar 13th 2010, 15:26

"The time has come for action by the Maltese government, even unilateral action, to safeguard the national interest and the interests of Maltese families"

we would actually safeguard our national interest if once and for all we stop our special relation with Libya and the Swiss-Libya dispute is truly a god sent opportunity to at least start building a foreign policy that halts Libya's bullying on our country.

The present special tie with our southern neighbours is only for the benefit of a few businessmen and politicians to detriment of our nation!

R Spiteri

Mar 13th 2010, 14:55

This is funny for 3 reasons.

1. Joseph Muscat does not give any ideas or suggestions...what are the solutions? Spell them out.
2. Joseph Muscat has contacts in Libya...he's been there...he was given access to a secret document....secret in the terms of being available on the internet for all
3. Joseph Muscat was silent for 3 weeks as to now ride on the pain being sufferred by those affected by Libya's decision....in order to gain their sympathy.....is this what he learnt from the tour with his wife in France last week?

D Vella

Mar 13th 2010, 14:52

When we joined the EU and like a catholic marriage,it was for better or for worse.It just so happens that there is much more worse than good.We didn't listen to the many sensible voices who warned us against joining then and we are not listening now

Why should the libyan's make exception for Malta when Malta is a fully fledged member of the EU. It would be favouritism on Libya's part and Malta would more than likely get a good ticking off from Pater Brussels.

J Farrugia

Mar 13th 2010, 14:51

Dont worry Joseph ... it has already been stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, that unless action is taken by the EU come next meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, Malta will not shy away from taking unilateral action to protect its own interests, like Switzerland did, even though this country is not in the EU. If needs be, Malta will opt out of the schengen area agreement until such time as the situation is brought back to normal. Maltese citizens will not suffer because of the inaction of the Eu, and the irresponsible reaction of Switzerland. So dear Joseph, dont try to take credit which is only due to the Minister Tonio Borg. You tell you group to just back him up and that's all ...no need for megaphonic announcements.

P. Schembri

Mar 13th 2010, 14:46

What a difference! When Malta had a dispute with Libya because of oil exploration, the PN sided with Libya and against Malta. The difference is telling! Who has the national interest at heart?

Joseph (Joe) Grima

Mar 13th 2010, 14:43

That's what a modern way of conducting politics means in practice. It means putting the national interest above all else. Not that this Government cares one way or another.