“Nothing too taxing, please. I’m 71. Or is it 72?”
Published:
August 24, 2013 at 2:29pm
Times of Malta reports that Malta’s foreign minister was just one of two foreign ministers, of the EU’s 28 member states, who didn’t turn up to a council meeting on the crisis in Egypt.
The reason, the newspaper reports, is that he is “on holiday with his family”. No doubt, it being the holiday month of August, the 26 foreign minister who were at the meeting had also been on holiday with their family, but broke away for their international commitments and then flew back.
This Labour government has set the bar so low that its head of communications could not possibly limbo under it with ease.
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Let’s hope that those age-mate ambassadors do not follow in his foot steps.
Is there an article in the Vienna Convention about body-bags?
Think again, my friend. The new ambassadors post is their thank-you holiday.
Probably not a bad thing he wasn’t there after all. We don’t need yet another embarrassment.
Doesn’t he have an alternative to send or doesn’t he trust anyone (as shown by his paranoia of smart phones)?
He’s a part-time minister anyway. Still carries on with his real job as a family doctor.
George Vella couldn’t understand the situation in Egypt if you tried to explain it to him with a Ladybird book. What would you expect from a man who believes that the purpose of foreign relations is to secure the largest investment possible?
Seated next to the UK? I’m sure William Hague has a chuckle or two at his expense every meeting.
Taf int, no clue what it is Malta should be doing now that Ghaddafi’s gone.
Well, there goes yet another electoral promise:
http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2013/02/in-labours-electoral-programme-its-going-to-solve-the-middle-east-crisis/
But we can’t say we weren’t warned:
http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2013/05/world-economic-forum-on-the-middle-east-and-north-africa-2013-not-a-soul-there-from-the-repubblika-ta-malta-government/
Nahseb iktar iddispjacih li halla l-clinic maghluqa minhabba l-holiday.
The ‘reason’ put forward by the ministry was not so much that George Vella was on holiday with his family, but that arrangements for traveling to the meeting were difficult.
The obvious question that should have been asked by the increasingly worthless media is where, exactly, George Vella is spending his holiday. The Galapagos Islands? Pitcairn?
John Dalli, by travelling from Cyprus to the Bahamas via Malta, conducting business there, and being back in Cyprus within 48 hours, showed that such obstacles can always be overcome – given a modicum of dedication, or perhaps a big enough potential prize.
the blunt truth is that, as George Vella himself had stated, he was always against Malta being part of the EU and now he just cannot be arsed to get involved in EU foreign affairs.
Malta has once again been badly let down on the international front, and on a matter of worldwide concern, by the PL.
He always was against joining the EU so why bother now.
Dan ma jridx ikollu x’jasam assolutament xejn ma’ Brussels, basta ministru ta’ l-affarijiet barranin.
Fun days ahead.
Although I don’t remember the circumstances in detail, I do recall that once Dr. Gonzi was on holiday with his family and he left because of an emergency or some meeting, then flew back to join his family again. Maybe someone remembers it more in detail?
The PRO could have at least followed Labour protocol and tweeted a bitchy message. I know I’m not experienced enough but can I please have a go; afterall experience is no longer required for these kind of jobs:
“@MINISTERONLEAVE.why.de.heck.not.wakeupandsmell.thecoffee#will.ignore.till.de.baqar.come.home@upyours###”
He certainly did us a favour by not going. The less he shows up, the better.
Wish I was a fly on the wall during their meetings. It would provide much comic relief.