European Commissioner John Dalli has appealed to the Maltese government not to remain a “spectator” when it comes to Libya.
Mr Dalli, who raised eyebrows in March when he claimed media footage of protesting rebels could have been staged, gave a very cautious initial reaction to the dramatic events unfolding in Libya.
“To comment I need to know the facts and I don’t yet know exactly what is happening,” he told The Times yesterday afternoon, adding that he had not kept himself fully updated since he was on holiday in Gozo.
“We know the rebels got into Tripoli with impressive ease. This could be worrying. It could be a trap. At least that’s what some people were saying when I last watched the news.”
Although he was not keen to provide his analysis, Mr Dalli offered advice on how Malta should approach the future with Libya.
“Libya is a very important country for Malta. We need to be actors, not spectators. In my opinion, so far, we have been spectators. We need to make our voice heard and be relevant in policymaking,” he said, pointing out that the future developments in Libya would have a direct impact on Malta.
“This is not going to be easy,” he said, adding that various world leaders were speaking apprehensively about the future.
The Times yesterday also spoke to other people who were vocal throughout the conflict, including former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, who remains the most sceptical about Nato’s intervention in Libya.
The advance on Tripoli exposed the West’s “falseness” because instead of protecting civilians as they did when Gaddafi threatened Benghazi, Nato went against the UN mandate and actually “performed the attacks” when it came to the capital city, according to Dr Mifsud Bonnici.
He added that western countries only intervened when it was in their interest to do so, and nothing was done when it came to Bahrain, Yemen and Syria.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said some people remained loyal to the Gaddafi regime and against the rebels, so Col Gaddafi had “no choice” but to fight till the end.
Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil welcomed the “liberation” of Libya and congratulated its people. “This is time for them to celebrate and I hope this celebration will be conducted with dignity in the same way as the struggle for democracy has distinguished the Libyan people for their dignity in the face of adversity.”
Dr Busuttil, who was particularly vocal against the Gaddafi regime throughout the conflict, said he immediately began discussions with the European People’s Party to organise a mission to Libya and assist in its transition to democracy.
Nationalist MP Francis Zammit Dimech, who heads Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, expressed “solidarity” with the Libyan people.
Asked if Malta could have done more to help during the conflict, he said all EU countries offered different levels of support and Malta’s focus was on the humanitarian front. Malta’s “prudent” decision to keep channels of communication open, even with the Libyan regime, was intended for the Libyan people’s advantage, he said. Sociologist Ranier Fsadni said that, while the war against the Gaddafi regime was over, some remained ambivalent about the council and feared Libya would descend into chaos. Rivalries were expected to emerge when it came to implementing the roadmap to democracy.
Mr Fsadni said while Malta helped with the implementation of the UN’s resolution and on a humanitarian level, history was more likely to remember the lead taken by France and the UK in protecting and arming the uprising.
Foreign affairs correspondent Anthony Manduca said Malta’s involvement would be positively remembered and the government “handled a difficult situation very well”.
“The international community, particularly the EU, must now help Libya rebuild its infrastructure and economy and guide it along the path towards a secular democracy.”