RAFA Malta GC fully agrees that Maltese service pensioners, that is, the pre-1979 civil servants, Malta police and AFM pensioners were misled and given false expectations because the European Court of Justice was only considering the technicalities of whether or not any EU regulations were adhered to in the way the issue of ex-Maltese who served with the British Services had their British Services pension deducted from the Malta national contributory pension.

What we strongly do not agree with, and in a way object to, is the personal opinion expressed elsewhere by a senior official of the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity. He stated that in his opinion this was a very important point because, had the European Court decision been different, it would have created a wider distinction between British Services pensioners and those known as Malta Treasury pensioners.

Yes, indeed, there is a big difference between these two categories, as the former are bringing foreign currency into Malta’s economy annually and paying income tax on it. Thus, not only are they are not a burden on the Maltese government but they are sustaining it. At the same time, they are fully entitled for their national contributory pension because they paid their dues to the full during their working life.

Therefore, we cannot but strongly object to such an opinion because, in such matters, it is not a case of a personal opinion but a matter of moral rights and social justice, to say the least.

This said, we are not against the Treasury service pensioners being given a fair treatment too.