May 9 is celebrated as Europe Day, a day when we should reflect on what binds us together as Europeans. What binds the Maltese to Europe and Europeans today? Values? Are we so tightly bound on values, like democracy and the scrutiny of public opinion?
Would Europeans accept their prime minister blurring the lines between the government and the party using Castille for a mass meeting? Values like freedom of expression? Would Europeans accept the death of a journalist without a public inquiry, and government’s indiscretions on ‘developments’ leading to headlines but not to the masterminds?
What binds us together is European citizenship. That which gives us the same rights and freedoms as Germans in Germany and Poles in Poland. That European citizenship which gives us freedom of movement all across the Schengen zone, which the Commission says is now in peril due to Malta’s passport sales, creating a dangerous black spot in the European due diligence system before granting access to third countries.
Common European values and common citizenship rights were maybe what bound us together till 2013. Now things are different. Now we are bound together only in money. Money, glorious money. Interests in EU funds and investment, business, trade and commerce are what binds the majority of Maltese and certainly the present government to Europe today.
On Europe Day we should also consider that what happened in Brexit is not beyond us in Malta. Why such a radical thought as a Maltexit would you say? Well, right now our profit and loss account looks brilliant. We have attracted more than a whopping billion. Yes, one thousand millions in EU funds to Malta. We have transformed the island of a thousand potholes and crumbling historical edifices into the Malta of the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre, Mcast and its 150 courses and the vibrant St Elmo, Esplora and St Angelo of today. The money is good indeed.
And yet, it will not keep flowing like this forever. We should aim at attracting another very good package for the next seven years, rivalling that of former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi. It will however be difficult to keep that balance after 2027.
I want the Maltese to be much more than dither fish in Europe
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia are all in line to become EU members starting from 2025. The EU budget negotiated right now will be the last one focusing on ‘new’ member states like Malta. The next one will be about them, for their needs are plenty, like it was for us in 2004.
But the economic EU manna is not just EU funds I hear you say. You are absolutely right. But we are not doing well enough on the other chapters to be able to put our mind at rest on that alone.
Last week I met a paper importer who told me about new EU regulations that entered into force two years ago, reaching his desk with ministry requests just this week. The same situation I encountered in plastics factories, engineering workshops, with bee keepers, farmers and fishermen as well as with several importers, complaining of EU rules reaching them without anyone asking their views before that happens.
Alfred Sant’s predicament of makku (dither fish) and whale is turning out to be correct because the present government has turned our civil service into a nepotistic fiefdom when it needs to be a ballistic machine ready to represent Malta’s interests starting from the micro level in Brussels.
We will be dither fish if we choose to be dither fish. We will be dither fish if our MEPs’ main mission is to protect a party of excesses and abuses back at home. We will indeed be dither fish unless we work together, oiling one machine for Malta from the European Parliament to the European Council and the European Commission.
I want the Maltese to be much more than dither fish in Europe. For me Europe day is about our ambition to deliver results from Europe to the Maltese and the Gozitans.
For those who fell behind due to our lack of vision in implementing EU opportunities in Malta. For those who should be able to spread their wings and fly with EU opportunities, for our youths who can do traineeships, apprenticeships and volunteer work abroad, for our businesses who can tap into start-up funds and invest in new technology.
Europe has always been, after all, what we are capable of making out of it. As an MEP candidate I have big things in plan on seven key results we can achieve, described in detail in a letter sent to households and on social media. Tune in and let’s make it happen together!
Peter Agius is a Nationalist Party candidate for the European elections, former head of the European Parliament Office and cabinet member of the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece