When Charles Dickens wrote his masterpiece “A Tale of Two Cities” he tackled complex societal themes as those of duality, revolution and resurrection. No doubt the proverbial quote “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” has remained indelible in the minds of many as truly symbolic of an era that gave rise to economic and political change worldwide; and in this day and age, particularly in Malta, it would reflect the best of times for the crooks and the worst of times for the victims of corruption. 

One would certainly ask what lies in common between Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” and the two salient inquiries that have taken Malta and its media by storm? And what are the common factors linking the tragic fates that hit Daphne Caruana Galizia and Jean Paul Sofia? The reply to the latter is evident, whereby in both cases the authorities have been adamant to hold a public inquiry; no real responsibility was shouldered by Government and moreover two women emerged as heroines from the debris of the two tragic sagas.

Nevertheless, the moral of these calamitous events goes even beyond these common factors and points towards the reply to the first question. Remarkably in both cases there was a duality of purpose which manifests insatiable greed (which President Myriam Spiteri Debono referred to as a disease which harms society in her inaugural speech) at the cost of innocent lives and moreover an institutionalised code of silence and consequent inaction that shrouds the felony that reigns supreme often under cover of intricate grafts and widespread allurement.

It has taken years of forbearance; crowds to the street in various protests led by civil society; and an unwavering resilient pressure from the Opposition on the authorities to finally respond after a pathetic series of U-turns that unveiled the deceptive guise of the incumbent government.

Over the past months we have seen a clear difference between Europe’s standards and Malta’s government inaction. In fact, Daphne’s law was adopted to protect the media from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) across the EU. The EU has also set CE marking (confirming conformity with European health, safety, and environmental protection standards) for construction materials, something which is lacking in Malta and which I raised this with the board on inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia. I do hope that in both cases the EU law and standards are implemented in Malta. So far, we have seen a government dragging its feet to implement the recommendations of the two enquiries in full.

The consequences of evil, however, do not always exclude a redeeming view, all the more so in the presence of a precious opportunity looming ahead that could signal the reversal of this dismal state of affairs and restore the rule of law whilst eradicating abuse of power of the political elite. Fundamentally, this is an opportunity that each and every citizen of good will must not fail to seize in the exercise of that civic duty which is the right to vote. Only our vote in the forthcoming 8th June elections can convey a clear unequivocal message that we want EU standards to prevail in order to safeguard our security and that of future generations; that corruption must be fought tooth and nail; and that justice will once again be the fulcrum of the well-being of our society.

This I consider my vocation and my creed; my mission to accomplish a firm commitment which I have set myself; to serve my country in the European Parliament; it is my pledge to ensure that EU standards and laws are effectively put into practice and not remain merely on paper. Moreover, I avow to actively pursue the fight against corruption and to push towards stepping up measures which so far may not have been fully exploited through technical means and the provisions of EU legislation on public procurement, as well as a closer collaboration with OLAF and EPPO. These I maintain are achievable goals; a possibility for an eventual resurrection of values and transformation on a societal level. I earnestly believe, as stated by Dickens, that moral duty is a product of reason and that ultimately reason will prevail with the undecided voters and also with those who blinded with indifference and inertia do not yet realise the importance of their vote and that each and every vote can make a difference.  

Peter Agius is PN MEP Candidate

In the tranquil neighbourhood of Hal Farrug, nestled between two colossal tanks brimming with aviation fuel, residents find themselves caught in a tangle of broken promises with their safety compromised. Their concerns, borne out of legitimate fears for their security and well-being, have been met with bureaucratic indifference and broken pledges.

It is a story of a community forced to live on the edge, quite literally, as the looming threat of potential disaster hangs perilously close to their homes. This is no exaggeration. Some residents have had their request for an insurance policy refused.

At the heart of the issue lies the European Seveso Directive, a cornerstone of safety regulations designed to prevent and mitigate the impact of industrial accidents involving hazardous substances.

This directive, born out of the tragedy of the Seveso disaster in 1976, mandates that facilities with the potential for serious incidents maintain a safe distance of at least 500m from residential areas. Yet, in Hal Farrug, this crucial buffer zone has been reduced to a mere 110m, blatantly flouting the very regulations meant to safeguard the lives of citizens.

I received a call from the residents of Hal-Farrug and I responded to their summons. To start off, I reached out to Enemed and the Ministry for Energy several times to address this issue to no avail.

When confronted with this egregious violation, the response from authorities has been woefully inadequate. Despite assurances from local officials and promises of protective measures, including the installation of solar panels and financial compensation for residents, little has been done to address the genuine concerns of the local community. Instead, they are left to grapple with the constant spectre of danger.

Sometimes we are asked why people are losing trust in politicians. Well, the situation at Hal Farrug is a text book case of dishonesty which harms our society and leads to loss of trust.

The local community has been deceived by Labour politicians, including minister Silvio Schembri and disgraced minister Konrad Mizzi, Luqa mayor John Schembri, and even then, prime minister Joseph Muscat who visited several homes close to the plant.

This led them not to object to such infrastructure.

It is a travesty that in a country bound to respect EU laws, the rights and safety of its citizens can be so callously disregarded. The residents of Hal Farrug deserve better – they deserve to feel secure in their own homes. It is incumbent upon the authorities to uphold the principles enshrined in the Seveso Directive and take immediate action to rectify this egregious breach.

We must ensure that EU standards are translated into rights in practice for the Maltese and not remain on paper. If elected to the European Parliament, I will leverage my 20 years of experience to ensure that EU legislation is effectively implemented for the benefit and safety of Maltese citizens.

In the meantime, this situation can’t wait. This is why I have personally taken up the mantle on behalf of the residents of Hal Farrug, advocating for their rights and demanding accountability from those responsible for ensuring their safety.

My efforts have included not only reaching out to relevant authorities, but now also submitting a formal complaint to the European Commission, and leveraging every available means to draw attention to this pressing issue. The safety and well-being of our citizens must always be paramount.

These residents do not expect the fuel tanks to be closed down, but at least for their rights to be respected and for the promises made to them to be adhered to without further delay.

They especially want the necessary protection measures, including the erection of shielding walls to protect them in case of accidents, financial compensation and guarantees by means of adequate insurance coverage of their homes, to be implemented.

Over the past months, I have exposed several cases where the government is disregarding EU standards and laws. Hal Farrug is not an exception. Sewage being discharged in the sea is just one other example.

On 8 June, we have the chance to either elect to the European Parliament Labour MEPs who want to cover up for their government or to send competent people to defend the rights of Maltese citizens.

I am committed to be your voice in Europe, to deliver concrete results to our families and to strengthen scrutiny on a government that has no clue on what is right and wrong.

https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/128625/the_disregard_for_eu_law_and_safety_in_hal_farrug

Gozo needs good connectivity. So say the over 1,650 Gozitan students attending tertiary edu­cation institutions in Malta. So say the over 3,500 Gozo residents employed on a full-time basis in Malta. So say the Gozitan patients who must visit the hospital in Malta for services that are not yet available at the Gozo General Hospital.

As part of my effort to understand the needs on the ground, I regularly travel to Gozo, and this is what most families speak to me about: the imperative of a reliable connection between Gozo and Malta.

Notwithstanding the increase in demand for the service (6.5 million passengers crossed the channel in 2023), the government dragged its feet to introduce a fourth ferry for the Gozo Channel fleet.

While the fourth ferry can be considered as a positive step, comfort, its reduced capacity and accessibility leaves much to be desired.

On several occasions, however, the impact of a fourth ferry is lost and passengers are offered a reduced service due to repairs. In January, the MV Malita was out of service and, more recently, the MV Nikolaos underwent maintenance for over a month.

Keep in mind that Gozo Channel is paying over €10,000 a day to lease the 37-year-old ferry (excluding fuel costs); hence, the government has already forked out over €20 million. That is enough money to invest in a state-of-the-art ferry that does not rely on fossil fuels.

There are several cases of islands that have followed this route. Take the success story of the EU-funded E-ferry project that has led to the development of a 100 per cent electrically powered, emission-free ferry for passengers and cars, trucks and cargo for island communities in Denmark.

The Danish authorities are also using national funds to build further electric ferries or to retrofit existing diesel ferries into battery-driven ones.

This is what I want to do for Gozo as an MEP. We need to grasp EU opportunities and apply them with concrete benefits to the Gozitans.

Gozo has been chosen to participate in the EU Mission ‘100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030’. But, beyond the headlines and fake propaganda on social media, the government has done close to nothing to make this a reality. Upgrading the Gozo Channel fleet would be a good starting point to move from empty promises to tangible actions. But this government has wrong priorities.

Robert Abela and his clique at Castille would rather invest EU funds in boutique hotels and yoga-meditation hotels owned by its ministers instead of better connectivity. In 10 years, not only did the government not upgrade the fleet adequately but also failed to invest in the ports.

Mġarr Harbour has become far too small to handle the sheer number of cars and trucks that cross daily. It needs investment to house more berths and operate with more ships. It’s a big project but it is needed because traffic will increase even more in the future.

Gozo also needs good connectivity to cater for the over 400,000 inbound tourists who visit the island, half of whom are domestic tourists. Tourism remains an important economic sector for the island and its community.

At the same time, the link is also vital for the thousands of Maltese who visit Gozo to escape from urban and over-populated areas in Malta to enjoy the countryside that Gozo still has to offer.

Gozo also needs good connectivity for its business sector. This government will go down in history for removing a cargo service between Gozo and Malta. Just a few days ago, the Malta Maritime Forum reiterated an appeal already made several times by consecutive Opposition spokespersons to introduce a roll-on/roll-off service to transport cargo between Malta Freeport and the Grand Harbour to Mġarr, in Gozo. This will also help Gozitan businesses in their operation and logistics.

Furthermore, Gozo Channel needs new management, one that is not controlled by the government. The company has issued a €750,000 tender to carry out work on a leased office that is not being used. Isn’t that a textbook case of mismanagement? Above all, Gozo Channel needs an ambitious management, one that seeks to invest more in the service and make it more feasible to reduce reliance on State aid rather than one that deters its customers from using the service on a Sunday between 5pm and 8pm.

Ten per cent of the overall EU funds allocated for the Maltese islands are dedicated to Gozo but Gozitans are not involved in setting the priorities and in the implementation of projects. We can’t just call Gozo an island region for the sake of it. We need to truly make Gozo an island region by giving it autonomy in its decisions on the use of EU funds, for instance to improve its connectivity.

Gozitans cannot be treated as second-class citizens. Hence, my commitment to put Gozo at the centre of my work if elected to the European Parliament and to keep an eye on Gozo not only in terms of funding opportunities to improve its connectivity but also by following every legislative development in European Parliament committees (beyond the Committee for Regional Policy), such as the committees for transport and EU budget, which have an impact on the island’s connectivity.

I am determined to work on all these fronts if elected to the European Parliament. This is why I have opened an office in Gozo to have a permanent base from where I can understand Gozitans’ concerns and aspirations.

It’s time to use your vote to send a clear message to the government that there is another way of doing politics.

Peter Agius is a PN MEP candidate.

https://timesofmalta.com/article/a-new-electric-gozo-channel.1090535

As the summer season approaches, many are making plans for their holidays, with flight prices being a crucial factor, particularly for families. Similarly, European visitors considering a trip to Malta are also weighing their options. Malta’s tourism industry has seen substantial growth, reaching 3 million visitors, thanks to decades of investment and promotion efforts. This growth shouldn’t be taken for granted. Our competitiveness remains of critical importance.

The European Green Deal will see the gradual replacement of traditional fuel with synthetic aviation fuel in EU flights as from next year. The fuel blend is expected to cost higher than the current jet fuel used by operators in Malta due to the price of the fuel itself coupled with difficulties of supply and infrastructural investment. According to a study conducted by the Royal Dutch Aeronautical Institute, projections indicate that flight costs could escalate by up to Euro 60 each way.

Malta will end up competing with tourist destinations which are exempt from the new rules. In fact, the new Directive will exempt smaller airports, airports in the so-called outermost regions like Madeira and the Canaries and airports outside the EU like Morocco, Turkey and Tunisia. The European Green Deal, particularly its proposed revisions concerning air transport, could therefore lead to an increase in prices of flights to Malta.

Recently I participated in a debate on TVM. Former Labour MEP and now MEP candidate Claudette Abela Baldacchino said that “What happens in Brussels does not stay in Brussels.” I agree perfectly with what Claudette said but maybe we need to go a little bit further and illustrate how Labour Ministers have repeatedly failed to negotiate EU laws to take into account the realities of the Maltese Islands.

Malta has a compelling case to make given that it is almost entirely dependent on air transport for tourism, the biggest industrial sector of our economy. 98% of tourists arrive to Malta by air in contrast to 50-60% averages for most of the other EU Member States which enjoy efficient road and rail networks. It is tragic that the Maltese government does not manage to make Malta’s case in Brussels on such a crucial development. We must ensure that European laws, including those within the framework of the European Green Deal, are aligned with the specific needs of our country; otherwise, they risk negatively impacting the competitiveness of our vital tourism sector. This is simply unacceptable, given the sector’s significant contribution to our economy, providing sustenance for numerous Maltese families and businesses

One should keep in mind that the upcoming European Commission would need to garner support across various political factions including the Greens and hence the European Green Deal is likely to remain on top of the EU’s agenda. We need to adapt laws to suit Malta’s unique circumstances. European Commission initiatives should not impose disproportionate burdens on the country. This concern is also echoed in a manifesto issued by Malta Business Bureau on behalf of The Malta Chamber of Commerce and MHRA, underscoring its significance.

If elected as MEP I want to make use of provisions in the European People’s Party’s electoral manifesto, which advocates for assessing the territorial impact of European measures and laws before implementation—a principle I actively advocated for over the last three years and which I intend to uphold for Malta’s benefit. We must emphasize the unique challenges faced by Malta as an island nation, and highlight the added cost of insularity during negotiations.

We must have the courage to say no thank you when needed, as the Germans did recently in blocking EU moves for an end to the combustion engine and as the French did recently in blocking environmental rules with impact on French farmers.

The EU is a space for close collaboration with our European Partners but we must have the assertiveness to defend our red lines. This is not being done by government today maybe because it is too distracted defending itself from daily scandals at home. We deserve better in Europe. We deserve competent MEPs who can represent us with renewed vigour. Only like that we can ensure that the next 20 years of EU membership will be at least as successful as the first 20 years. I will give my utmost in that direction. I am ready to use all my skills garnered over 21 years of experience in negotiating rooms in Brussels, to adapt Europe to Maltese needs. This I can do only with your support on the 8th of June.

Peter Agius, MEP Candidate 

https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2024-04-06/newspaper-opinions/Green-Deal-has-to-be-a-deal-for-Malta-too-6736260012