Exactly. It therefore follows that when the Church is lobbying – like everyone else – then it is not interference.

That the Church is the largest NGO on Malta should not make an iota of difference when we assess the situation.

“not only the layout but the continuation of endless racist, naff and xenophobic ‘comments’ this paper allow to be published online to an international audience.”

One of the people on that boat was a Libyan-American:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42562610/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

@ u jien naf:

Only in totalitarian states are people with whom the state disagrees, denied the right to protest.

Louise Vella/timesofmalta.com:
Today, 14:50
Do we want 171 people to die? No. But suppose we saved 171 people a day. That would mean 171 x 365 = about 62 000 in a year. Is Dr Simon Busuttil prepared to let 62 000 illegal immigrants in Malta in a year? If not, how many of them does he wish to take? Whatever his limit, what will he then do once that limit is reached given that Africa has a population of 1000 million? Now or in a year’s time, the ultimate solution is to stop the influx.

….. or that Gaddafi’s regime is an ‘arch-democracy’.

“It is regrettable but true. Immigration brings out the worst in the Labour Party and its leader. Give him a chance to talk about immigration and he promptly drops his “moderate” and “progressive” mask to reveal his true colours. Last Sunday, Joseph Muscat was at it again. He hit out at the government for not being “firm” on immigration when compared to Italy that refused to take in 171 asylum seekers saved by Malta on the high seas. He said Italy safeguarded its interests and Malta should do so too.

Any reasonable person reading this report would logically draw only one conclusion, namely that Malta should have done like Italy and ignored the distress call of 171 persons.

But if we did that, 171 people would have lost their lives because their boat was going down. It is as stark as that.”

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110413/opinion/I-am-a-Maltese-proud-of-my-country.359867

Are you one of those chaps who only gives a girl a present if you might get sex in return?

Sexist comment. He may be gay.

Don’t be too sure of that. A shipload of fuel very nearly was despatched to Libya from Malta until protestors raised their voices.

That depends on what sort of government you’re talking about. Lobbying and demonstrations would have qualified as interference in 1980s Malta.

When lobbying and demonstration are possibilities open to all, they are not interference.