Updated - Greek PM thanks Malta for its help, discusses migration
Updated after meeting with Dr Gonzi -
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras this morning said his country wanted to thank Malta for its assistance in this difficult time.
Speaking to timesofmalta.com, Mr Samaras, who is currently in Malta, said Greece would come out of this crisis.
"The Greek success story will be a European success story" he said on the sidelines of the Congress of the European Popular Party, being held at the Radisson Golden Sands Hotel.
Mr Samaras in the afternoon had talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, whom he described as "a great European leader".
The subjects discussed included the situation in the eurozone and illegal immigration, a problem for both Greece and Malta.
All countries, he said, needed to pressure Europe to adopt common policies on illegal migration.
Mr Samaras also praised Dr Gonzi for his leadership.
"You have given us practical ideas and we follow closely what you say," he said.
Mr Saramas later went on a tour of St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta.
See video above.
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38 Comments
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Louise Vella
Nov 16th 2012, 12:37
Illegal immigration is a European problem. The European Union must decide if it needs the illegal immigrants at a time when unemployment is above 10%. If it needs them it should let them go to whatever country they want to go. If it does not need them, it should stop them from coming. Has Dr Gonzi understood this simple truth?
Anthony Paul Naudi
Nov 16th 2012, 06:03
Nghinu lil kulhadd u hadd ma jghin lilna fil-kwestjoni tal immigranti illegali
A.P.Naudi
mark borg
Nov 15th 2012, 20:23
"The Greek success story will be a European success story"
sa dan it tant ibqu ballawlna il miljuni ! .....u akta kemm infahhrilkhom lil prim ministru .....uzgur ! fidil !
Peter Murray
Nov 15th 2012, 19:17
FAO David Smith,
What I have an opinion of or what hobbies I have is no concern of yours -so mind your own beeswax ?Do you want to hear my opinion of your crass and totally unconnected to the topic input - is your hobby making obtuse comments?
Silvan Said
Nov 15th 2012, 17:19
Here is the irony guys. Many comments below denigrate GonziPN and are looking forward to Joseph , when in reality whilst the greek population was being suckered by their politicans, successive PN governments over the last 25 years but 2 kept Malta's finances on a steady course and as a result we are much better off.
Charles Cremona
Nov 15th 2012, 19:16
Silvan; you forgot to mention the 5 Billion plus the country owes my friend, we are living on borrowed time.
Joseph Ellul
Nov 16th 2012, 00:16
What is 5 Billion debt compared to other nations. Malta should issue more bonds and see how they will be bought. This is the age of the credit card. The more you spend on plastic the more real goods you get. Gonzi should issue 10 Billion in bonds and buy real gold with the money he gets. Next year he can sell the gold and presto, all the debt will dissappear.
Nikos Diak
Nov 15th 2012, 16:38
To all those who make generalizations about Greeks calling them corrupted and tax evaders: were the 2500 people who committed suicide in Greece since 2010 corrupted? Is the 25% of the population (unemployed rate) tax evaders? Do the 30.000 households that lose their electricity every month people that they should have it because they did not pay tax at some point?
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 17:29
I think these people are referring to those in government and the wealthy Greeks who avoid taxes - not the ordinary Greek citizen who has to suffer because of the over-spending and manipulation of previous conservative governments.
Tonio Micallef
Nov 15th 2012, 15:19
Success story, my foot! After years of financial mismanagement, false statistical reporting to EUROSTAT, after ruining the country's finances with the lavish spending for the Greek Olympics and billions vanishing in corruption, after permitting the worst tax evasion in Europe, now they have a debt mountain of 160% of their GDP. And we Maltese, the smallest in the EU are paying for their bailout!
Paul Caruana
Nov 15th 2012, 14:56
Let me hazard a guess here....their creditors (including Malta this time around) will soon be asked to accept yet another "haircut" on their Greek bonds!
Joe Grech
Nov 15th 2012, 14:51
Good luck to the Greeks....their P.M. is convinced they'll make it but most Greeks unfortunately don't!
He praised our P.M. and Simon Busuttil. What else could he do under the prevailing circumstances?
Roll on the next election! We've had a hung parliament for too long now thanks to our arrogant and irresponsible so called leaders!
Mark Fleri
Nov 15th 2012, 14:46
it was not our choice to make that decision was made by the soon to exit Mr Gonzi. The Maltese work hard and struggle enough without giving money to Greece who are corrupt, mishandle their money and has the biggest tax evasion problems in the whole of Europe. This will not be a success story but a Greek tragedy that will plague Greece for many years to come.
Charles Cremona
Nov 15th 2012, 14:17
The IMF said last week that the only way Greece can meet its debt target reduction plan is for those governments that lend it money to write off the debt in otherwords take a haircut as the markets say. This will cost the Maltese taxpayer very dearly for many years to come as we had to borrow the money and we have to pay it back with interest. No wonder Samaras is thanking the Maltese people.
Eve Axiaq
Nov 15th 2012, 15:29
You are right. Economists say this openly. Other economists with political affiliations say this secretly. Germany will be the biggest loser of all. Unrest will follow.
A Spiteri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:55
"The Greek success story will be a European success story"
go tell that to the greeks!!!!
and u shouldn't thank the maltese people, but the maltese politicians, both on the left and on the right, cause they approved the bailout, not the maltese taxpayer. we never gave such consent to our government!
R. Borg
Nov 15th 2012, 13:50
We pay our taxes. What about you?
J Martinelli
Nov 15th 2012, 14:25
Just imagine if everybody did!
Just imagine if there was no Income Tax evasion or arrears in VAT dues.
Just imagine there were no 'under the table' deals to avoid paying VAT!
The Greeks found themselves in such a mess because they abused their tax systems and were led by governments whose priorities were one - that to be reelected and threw away money they didn't have, just to gain votes.
Mario Scicluna
Nov 17th 2012, 08:32
@J Martinelli
Rubbish! After years of financial mismanagement, false statistical reporting to EUROSTAT, billions vanishing in corruption, and after permitting the worst tax evasion in Europe, Greece went on a lendind/spending binge! Greece now have a debt mountain of 160% of their GDP. So now, the EU bailout fund has been swallowed by Greece alone! Well said Mr. Tonio Micallef.
j brincat
Nov 15th 2012, 13:46
@Robert Henry Bugeja
"Yes Anthony... so why nobody from the "union" is helping us in the immigration sector?!"
BECAUSE we are too small and so we are taken for granted.
They come here for a holiday free photo shoot, pat us (the PM) on the back and once they are back home we are completely forgotten and do not lift one single finger to help us.
(jb)
J Martinelli
Nov 15th 2012, 14:34
Just wait until Joseph sets them on the right course by accepting all the 'illegal' immigrants left on the island after he sends back boatloads 'to where they came from'.
Not only they will pat Joseph on the back but they will give him the key to the EU's treasury.
It's about time Joseph starts feeding the voters with a bit of reality and truth, both of which, he is very economical with.
Roderick Camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:28
Could we get some approx figures on how much this ''help'' is costing us? We see such a lot of billboards on the road, telling us that these roads and so on were financed by the EU, interesting to know how much we are forking back
Charles J. Buttigieg
Nov 15th 2012, 13:43
Roderick,we are gaining . Due to our good rating the rate of interest we are paying to use for the bailout is less than what we are charging Greece. Naturally the difference is a profit for Malta.
B Grech
Nov 15th 2012, 14:26
@Charles, Who said Greece was going to pay its loans back in full? Just google the words greek haircut and you ll realise that a huge proportion of the momney lent to Greece by Malta stands to be lost.
Brian Gatt
Nov 15th 2012, 14:42
If we ever get the money back
Charles J. Buttigieg
Nov 15th 2012, 19:54
B.Grech,what you said is possible,I was assuming that all goes well and we get our money back.
j brincat
Nov 15th 2012, 13:28
"Malta contributed several million euro in the first EU bailout to Greece"
He should thank us the poor taxpayers and NOT the PM who gave himself €500 a week verus our miserable of €1.16!
(jb)
Mr G Naudi
Nov 15th 2012, 14:10
Mr. Brincat i see your point, but i guess you are Criticizing the PL too on this point i hope! The Labour Party MPs took the increase for a period of time, but when this was exposed by the Times of Malta it was given back to look like the heroes. The point is, if the Times of Malta had not gone public the Labour Party MPs would have continued pocketing the increase.
Eddy Privitera
Nov 15th 2012, 20:53
G. Naudi: Who took the increase ? wouldn't Gonzi - well known for inventing lies - have lambasted the PL if what you wrote is correct ? Gonzi NEVER said what you wrote !
Eve Axiaq
Nov 15th 2012, 13:16
Mr Samaras must be joking. He should say that Greece is falling well behind the targets aimed by Troika simply because austerity is not working. Malta together with the other eurozone beneficiaries have to accept debt writedowns and Germany is holding this till next German elections to save Angela Merkel's face because Germany as the biggest beneficiary will be the biggest loser.
P Sciberras
Nov 15th 2012, 13:11
Malta bailout money given to Greece,did not go to assist the Greek people, BUT went to the Greeks bankrupt banks, to pay their debt to Germany and France. Somebody correct me if I am wrong.
Mario Scicluna
Nov 15th 2012, 14:04
spot on!
Amante Reale
Nov 15th 2012, 14:21
If the money went to pay the debts of Greece's bankrupt banks, then it DID assist the Greek people.
anthony sultana
Nov 15th 2012, 12:59
Union means helping each other in crises.
Robert Henry Bugeja
Nov 15th 2012, 13:10
Yes Anthony... so why nobody from the "union" is helping us in the immigration sector?!
Eddy Privitera
Nov 15th 2012, 20:55
Anthony Sultana: So why don't they help US on our illegal immigration crisis ?
Peter Murray
Nov 15th 2012, 12:53
Yeah and he forgot to add a big thanks for us-along with the other gullible fools -allowing his country to renege on their debts -as we will never see this money again ostensibly given as a "loan"-yeah right.
Charles Grixti
Nov 15th 2012, 15:39
@David Smith
What is wrong with having an opinion for everything under the sun? That means one uses his head instead of having it as a stand to hang their hat on.
Taking up Origami does not cut it for some people, so live and let live.
Please choose the reason of your report below: