Catholics united
There will be no Maltese embassy in the whole of Scandinavia after the end of this year, when our embassy in Copenhagen is closed. The ambassador returns at the end of this month and the remaining staff will hold the fort until the end of the year, when the lease on the building runs out.
Meanwhile, a decision has been taken to open an embassy in Warsaw. I almost added ‘instead’, but stopped short of doing so, given that Poland and Denmark are, well, poles apart, though the savings on shutting down Copenhagen are what probably make Warsaw possible. I hesitate to say that Copenhagen was rubbed off the embassy list so that Warsaw could be added to it.
I have been accused of being unfair to the foreign minister who, I am reliably assured, has a delightful sense of humour when divested of a microphone and close proximity to Paul Vincenti. But I can’t resist the remark that Tonio Borg must be a hell of a lot more comfortable with the values of Poland then he is with those of Denmark. It’s the Rosary Mafia of right-wing Catholics with a dubious view of civil liberties.
Perhaps Tonio Borg sees loads more potential for business development with the Poles, who have a lower standard of living than we do, than he does with the Scandinavians, or maybe he just doesn’t want too many Lutherans here and would rather have Catholic Poles buying up flats (if they can get the money together), but either way, it’s an odd decision.
Now the estate agents are very cross. Actually, they are livid. They have issued a statement which claims that there will be “serious repercussions” on the property market when the Copenhagen embassy is closed. The very affluent people of Scandinavia are choosing Malta as their second home in the sun, and just when things are going well, the door is slammed shut. The Maltese embassy is a first point of reference for residence permit applications and for enquiries. The estate agents aren’t expecting a flood of Poles looking for holiday homes in Malta, so they are understandably annoyed. The decision, they say, can have a “devastating effect” on the property market. Well, as long as they pack their ruzarju when they come to stay….
10 Comments Comment
Reply to Jo Click here to cancel reply
I really cannot see the point of the estate agents’ complaint. In these internet days, you can do anything virtually including downloading all the odd info reqd to buy property in Malta. From the way they are going on about it you would think that anybody buying a property in Malta must absolutely visit our Embassy …. to do what exactly? Get a whiff of our bureaucrats? And Daphne, with all due respect but your argument is a bit off at a tangent.
[Daphne – Which argument would that be? The argument that it makes more sense to have an embassy in at least one Scandinavian capital than to have an embassy in Poland? Ideally, we’d have both, but we’re too hard up for that.]
Not only too hard up, but too short sighted . An embassy in the Scandinavian region is essential. But dont underestimate the poles. There are many many new-rich poles in Warsaw. Unbelieveably, business is booming there. And yes, they are buying property abroad. But not n Malta. They tend to go to Cyprus, as do most rich Russians nowadays. There is more to do, and its bigger, and Cyprus is rather less sanctimonous than Malta as regards the provenance of monetary assets. What Malta was in the mid-90’s to the Russians and Poles and any ex-Soviet Block well heeled person, Cyprus and to a lesser extent Spain, IS.
I don’t see why the estate agents don’t get together and set up a representative office in Copenhagen, which is what private enterprise does: help itself and not rely on the state (except in Malta – refer to the constant whining by the hotel people about MTA not doing enough)
But that doesn’t diminish the point re why bother having an embassy in Warsaw – perhaps some functionary from Palazzo Parisio could enlighten us?
Daph you are obsessed with the “red under the bed” syndrome. Now you come up with this “rosary mafia” theory. Most probably Poland is more advantageous for us.
BTW: I did not like “Clyde Puli’s 16 day visit to China with his family” . Who’s paying for lodging and meals apart the traveling and other expenses ? It made me recall AST’s Honeymoon Visit to Down under with wife and the late Agatha Barbara.
[Daphne – Reds under the bed refers to communists, not Catholics. Why is Poland ‘most probably’ more advantageous for us? Please explain, or refer to my reply to you below, regarding blind and unquestioning faith in what you’re told by your chosen authorities. This Clyde Puli business sounds interesting. Please post a link to the story so that we can discuss it. Thanks.]
@ Daphne in McCarthy’s time(50’s) in the US there was a witch hunt against the commies , and the population in the US was over suspicious towards anything or any one having a hint of russian in it. Hence red under the bed . Remember the film “the russians are coming, the russians are coming”.
Now I think that you are taking this attitude towards catholic politicians a bit too far. Your suspicions are unfounded , you are always thinking that there is a catholic hidden hand doing its hidden agenda behind the public knowledge. Hence “red (Catholic) under the bed SYNDROME”
We will wait for an explanation from the ministry of foreign affairs, for now we just wait and see.
My comment for now is that one cannot keep an embassy manned to accommodate only the needs of speculators.
Clyde Puli’s story is on today’s Times front page , enjoy: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080824/local/parliamentary-secretary-spent-16-days-at-the-olympic-games
[Daphne – Yes, I know what reds under the bed means. But it’s used strictly for communists, and it isn’t a syndrome. Catholic hands are not hidden in Malta. They’re everywhere and in your face. It’s hardly a secret society or a minority religion. ‘We will wait for an explanation from the ministry of foreign affairs’ – your faith in authority is touching. Whose needs is the embassy in Warsaw going to accommodate?]
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080824/local/parliamentary-secretary-spent-16-days-at-the-olympic-games
Mr John Scembri – what’s your business on Clyde Puli’s life. Its better that everyone take care of what he is doing first…..
Kif tista ma ccempilx!!!
[Moderator – Let me guess. You’re wearing a headscarf over curlers, Lycra cycling shorts, and a purse in your armpit. Ghax ma tmurx tara x’taghmel int u t-tifla tieghek! John Schembri’s ‘business on Clyde Puli’s life’ is quite considerable given that the life in question is public and funded by his taxes.]
@ Daphne : you firstst wrote . “It’s hardly a secret society or a minority religion” but in your comment you labeled them “the Rosary Mafia of right-wing Catholics”. As far as I know Mafia is a secret society or criminal organisation.
Dr Tonio Borg is not that kind of person , he’s not a member of Opus Dei.
You also questioned “Whose needs is the embassy in Warsaw going to accommodate?” our friend Mario Debono ( who according to BA he is my boss) elaborated on what is happening in Poland.
@ Brian Axisa who is shadowing me: As the moderator told you , PS Puli is accountable to us taxpayers, I do not want to end up defending the indefensible , better nip abuse (if there is any) in the bud. To tell you the truth I haven’t seen anything from this PS except that he was keeping a low profile.People working under his secretariat were already demotivated because of this visit ,they knew about it a month ago
It is quite acceptable that a PM takes his wife with him for an official visit , that is what PM”s of other countries do . But I would not accept free rides by Ministers let alone PS’s.
We should attack abuse .
@ Daphne : I question everyone and everything, even my faith. First we have to hear what the Ministry of foreign affairs has to say about the subject , then we judge. Somewhere else you wrote that I obey blindly , maybe the way I write gives you that impression (I try to be prudent), but as you may observe I treat authority like a parent treats his children when they do something mischievous and when they do something really bad. Let me explain ; I consider this Euro(S) business sort of “mischievous” while I consider priests who abuse children or PS’s taking a joy ride out of my pocket as something ‘really serious’. Hope that is clear.
I hate needless attacks which will get no one nowhere.
Sometimes you fall into that trap and scare away a lot of people who can easily agree with your comments.
GNI per capita (World bank): Denmark $47,390, Poland $7,100 (around half ours). So we close the embassy in Copenhagen and open one in Warsaw. Perhaps someone reasoned that it will be easier to sell to the Poles than to get the Danes to buy from us (other than chunks of land).
Earlier this year Monocle magazine voted Copenhagen the most livable city. Being half-way through a 3 week stint I can see why. But the whole country/populace is top tier – a Switzerland in the north, if I may – and these are the standards we should be targeting.