Why hold talks if he is determined to ignore what is said?
The prime minister said in parliament yesterday, in a violent and aggressive speech, that he will be holding talks with EU Commissioner Reding.
This means, quite simply, that he has been summoned for those talks and has no choice but to go.
That also accounts for the escalating violence in his tone when he shouted that he doesn’t go down on his knees in front of foreigners but approaches them as a partner, and “if I like it, I’ll do it, and if I don’t, I won’t.”
The fact that he was summoned for talks by A Foreigner pushed all his agitation buttons and brought out the worst in him, indicating that he feels like anything but a partner or an equal, but like a defiant and immature teenager who resents being told what to do by the grown-ups.
His reasoning is fallacious, anyway. He is not on an equal footing with Commissioner Reding. He represents just one EU member state. Commissioner Reding represents them all – the EU as a whole. Muscat is accountable to and answerable to her in her representation of the European Commission, and not the other way round, nor are they equals.
This is not ‘being bossed around by foreigners’, but cooperation for the common good. This is a Union, not a bunch of isolated states all jostling each other and stabbing each other in the back for their own selfish advantage.
But after he said that he would have talks with Commissioner Reding, the prime minister followed it up by insisting that he will stick to the sale of citizenship “in the interest of the Maltese people”.
So why bother having those talks with Commissioner Reding, then? It’s because he has no choice.
“I’ll come for the talks if you insist, but I’m warning you that I’m still going ahead with what I want to do.”
And now here we have the new public relations spiel: selling citizenship is in the interest of the Maltese people. Exactly how is it in our interest?
The damage it has done already is unquantifiable.
Selling citizenship is in Muscat’s interest because -judging by his panic, haste, insistence and non-cooperation – he has no choice but to sell those passports.
What we should be looking at now is why he is behaving as though he has no choice but to sell passports.
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I can already see what the outcome of these talks is going to be: Muscat will come back to us all, saying the Commissioner Reding has finally seen the light of day on the citizenship scheme and that she and the European Union agree with it in its totality.
Or at least that’s what TVM ONE will want to make you believe.
He’s just a spoilt brat completely out of his depth throwing tantrums because he scared that he’s going to be shown up for the fraud that he is.
I don’t think PL had any road maps for a Plan B. It is coming out quite clear in the subtext.
“What we should be looking at now is why he is behaving as though he has no choice but to sell passports.”
For a start, the EU Commission should ask Joseph Muscat to publish the Memorandum of Understanding he signed with the Communist government of China during his visit there in 2010.
Since the EU has a common foreign policy, Joseph Muscat might be violating the EU Treaties there as well if it turns out that he had signed a memorandum with a third country which contains provisions that violate the EU Treaties in several parts.
But I am amazed that the local media, and the opposition in parliament, have not been haunting the prime minister to publish that document.
Listening to Mallia and Muscat was disgusting…such aggressiveness and anger in the speeches. The new way of doing politics my foot! Back to nahilbu il-baqra kemm nifilhu ghax hekk biss nafu.
At Fgura Manwel Mallia said: “Ahna partit li jisma’; m’ahniex partit supperv, m’ahniex arroganti”.
A rather noticeable pause followed, during which the thought instinctively came: “Issa smghajnik, mur hudu…. Jien inhossni mahmug li thallat ma nies bhalek.”
Maybe it is not just big numbers that get Manwel confused. Words also mean something different to him.
Can one buy a good dictionary at Lidl’s? A dictionary which at least gives a clear definition of “proud” and “arrogant”. Or perhaps a look at Joseph Muscat (see his attitude to European Parliament) or at himself in the mirror might make those words assume their usual meaning.
Muscat’s line of reasoning, if one may call it that, is that it is better to be some princely autocratic ruler lording it over a small hell of his own making rather than a plain leader in a bigger heaven. The “fly in the ointment” of that fallacy is that the rest of us, citizens of Malta are being held captive in the hell that he is creating to satisfy his egomania.
Daphne,
The government is contractually obligated to Henley to sell citizenship. I imagine that if the government does not sell citizenship it will owe Henley a ton of money to make up for all the money that Henley would have made if the scheme were to go through.
The PM is really between a rock and hard place now. I don’t envy him. The backlash has been so harsh, it is just too politically difficult and financially costly to back down now.
It will be interesting to see how he gets out of this mess.
Interesting and highly plausible, otherwise there’s no reason why he wouldn’t have accepted to make the scheme more orthodox.
Joseph Muscat is playing for time while fulfilling his obligations.
He has been quoted as saying also that “the government consulted every EU member state over its new investor programme”. If this is true it’s obvious that he didn’t convince them that they approved the scheme judging by the crushing defeat it got in the EU Parliament last week.
What’s also probably adding to the aggression button-pushing of that misogynist is the obvious fact that Commissioner Reding happens to be a woman.
Very good point, Daphne: why is he behaving this way?
Which brings up the next question: “What is his Plan B?”
How is he otherwise planning to cope with his budgeting should his marvellous plan fail. Surely he has calculated this like any great economist.
Let me guess, it’s a secret too.
“What we should be looking at now is why he is behaving as though he has no choice but to sell passports.”
Isn’t this perhaps the easier question to answer? Isn’t it obvious that this was Muscat’s promise to those who bank rolled his rise to power?
The critical questions to me are: What else has Muscat promised? How far is this going to go? What else is MLP going to spring on the country?
The recurring thought in the 1980s was “il Perit kull filghodu jqum b’xi wahda.” Well it’s 1980 all over again.
How stupid I was to consign Mintoff as simply a “done and dusted” figure in Maltese history. He retains an evil hold on our freedom even as he lies decomposing six feet under. How right you were, Daphne, to point this out time and time again.
I guess it is because he has committed himself to those who helped him in his massive electoral campaign and now they want their pound of flesh.
Joseph Muscat is nothing but a bully. Together with pompous Mallia, the damage they are continuing to inflict on Malta’s reputation will soon be irreparable. Where are the switchers?
“What we should be looking at now is why he is behaving as though he has no choice but to sell passports”.
That is what the media should be asking. There are only two possible reasons:
1. either the Government is desperate for money and has no idea how to generate economic growth other than by prostituting Malta; or
2. pre-electoral promises which have to be kept.
The second is more plausible. There is absolutely no reason to fight with our EU partners and there are 10,000 reasons not to; our economy depends on them. It seems that the Government has no choice but to take this suicidal course of action.
He seems to have rewarded many people for their support in the last election with chairmanships or seats on one board or another. An EU passport can make a very nice reward to those outside the EU…
The prime minister is emotionally immature and highly irresponsible.
We are going to open an EASY back to door to all other EU countries in exchange of a donation towards Malta, no further obligation that will contribute to become a legitimate Maltese.
That is why they say our IIP scheme is so appealing to those people and to the government. We will be cashing money. So who cares. That is how they reason.
Another question is why did it have to be Konrad Mizzi to speak yesterday.
Accelerated growth eh, coincidence or what?
Promises, promises, promises. Where are the investigative journalists? Watergate anyone?
The shine is wearing off.
The 36.000 majority is no more.
The people have spoken.
The boy from nowhere is in fumes.
The beginning of the end.
Ghamilt naqra ta’ kont kemm jiswew l-elf ruh li ddahhlu mac-civil dawn l-ahhar ghaxar xhur…iva qtajtu ; sa madwar ghoxrin sena ohra dawn ikunu swewlna €lf miljun ewro wahda fuq wahda.
Joseph is going through the trauma of being called up by the college head master during morning gathering for a hiding.
No wonder he came out shouting and growling.
Why?
I very much fear that he is talking with the barrel of a pistol firmly lodged in the nape of his neck – with someone’s finger ready to press the trigger at the slightest show of reneging on a very strict pre-election pact.
…because he has already spent the deposit!
Why ? I suppose it’s because Henley’s campaign put him in power and now he has to pay them back, accordind to an agreement signed long ago.
“the measure of a man is what he does with power”
Plato
I wouldn’t be surprised if, in their determination to make the IIP a success, they would attempt to start advertising EU financed projects as financed by the IIP.
This is what I am thinking, too. They will be using funds from the Eur 1 billion of EU funds and claim that they are from the IIP.
I think the reason is pretty obvious. They have no clue on how to grow the economy so all their promises depend entirely on it. And Joseph Muscat needs to deliver at all costs so as to win his second term – at the end of which he will retire early leaving the PN to face the music: ie whatever is left of the Maltese economy, and whatever it is that he manages to secure in EU funding for the following 7years. Assuming of course that we will still be a part of it
He’s obviously already made some kind of deal with some communist country, ie. China and can’t go back on it. He’s got his back up against that very lonely wall and he’s got no way out.
Simple, He has no Policy for Foreign Affairs. No roadmap, no plan, no direction.
“Malta taghna lkoll” has gone international on so many levels….
So that is why he kept on harping about approach any talks with the EU ‘as equals’, and all that other jazz. He would of course never admit to having been summoned, much less to having had to heed to that summons. What a poor excuse of a Prime Minister, now shorn of all his dignity, yet still childishly trying to justify himself by stamping his feet. Nobody is listening.
“What we should be looking at now is why he is behaving as though he has no choice but to sell passports.”
I still cannot understand why so few people seem to realise, or at least suspect that the Prime Minister does not have the option of scrapping the scheme before even starting it.
What I think he can and will eventually do is shut it down, or possibly make it somewhat acceptable – but only after having let in a small number of specific individuals – the ones that he has to at all cost. Some may already have got their passport as indicated by the scenes at the airport.
It sounds as if someone is owed a good sum of money but in repayment for what?
He is not on an equal footing with Reding.
He most certainly is not.
Reding is accustomed to dealing with gentlemen.
Joey is anything but a gentleman.
I will tell Viviane Reding here what I warned Simon Busuttil about on this same blog some weeks ago.
The only result of talks with this guy will be that he will blame you for the inevitable mess he will land himself and his country in.
He is already doing it with Simon and blaming the PN for the onslaught on Malta of world public opinion.
He will do the same with the unsuspecting Reding.
She will be reduced to mincemeat and portrayed as the fall guy.
I am sure she intends talking in good faith. In which case she has already had it before even starting to talk.
Doctor Reding I have had close experience of these people for the past forty years .
They are nothing but obnoxious.
Mark my word.
In spite of your impeccable CV, your are up against hardened crooks.
I feel sorry for you.
Viviane Reding has never heard Joseph Muscat’s story about St. Aloysius, his under-vest and detention. It says it all about his character, really.
And the fact that he remembers that episode specifically and so vividly shows that he himself regards it as one of his moments of glory.
Here’s a link to the story.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/St-Aloysius-visit-rekindles-memory-of-Muscat-s-brush-with-Jesuit-prefect-20130417
Once again, do you really believe Joseph Muscat is deadly serious with selling Maltese citizenship full scale?
He is playing a tit for tat game with the EU, he wants to piss them off. That is his crude brinkmanship technique.
They call off their “negro-fi-cation” of Malta and he will call off his citizenship boondoggle.
They have to make the first move or he will keep selling citizenships one, Chinese millionaire at a time to prove to them that he is serious, deadly serious.
“why he is behaving as though he has no choice but to sell passports?
Because he has most likely factored this potential income into next year’s budget -a link to his promised electricity cuts. If this fails his budget is in tatters, and so are his electoral prospects.
Who is providing him with this advice of putting all of his eggs into one unworkable basket?
Qed jibza’ minn Commissioner Viviane Reding issa.
He is acting like the schoolyard bully who has been called into the headmaster’s office after his latest act of bullying. The bully normally turns around proclaiming that he is not scared while he further insults and threatens those around him.
As is typical with schoolyard bullies, it takes a woman to scare the shits out of him.
In his case, he can’t run, but he can’t hide.
The PM has been summoned to the headmistress.
Is there not a link between the violent outburst by the Labour Leader in Government as Prime Minister, the anti-democratic behaviour, the amoral decisions, the unmeritocratic posts all round and then – to top it all, as though the Maltese are completely stupid – the press release yesterday, by none other than the Police, that the Whistleblower act has been mute so far:
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-01-21/news/whistleblower-act-mute-so-far-3741941770/
Of course it has been.
The climate of trust in the Government and Police is precisely one that would induce non-other than a mute reaction for its periodic feel-good reports. Otherwise known as attention detractors when a hot issue is busy eating away at our democracy.
A Prime Minister, off his rockers, and a Police force in his pocket.
All prime positions hand-picked primarily for allegiance to the same Prime Minister, many active agents in place before the elections already working away to his agenda.
72% of us blew the whistle on last week’s issue alone. There is no mandate from the Maltese for Sale of Citizenship issue. Joseph Muscat carried on regardless.
89% of the EU parliament blew the whistle. Joseph Muscat proceeded to face his supporters with lies.
No. The climate is not conducive for proper whistleblowing.
Joseph Muscat’s actions have gone beyond the competence, and perhaps jurisdiction, of those legal firms in Malta, and of those citizens, who should be protected by that act.
It was always intended to be a sham barrier to Joseph Muscat’s, and his agents’, actions.
The agents too have sought, as just one of the means, to close off potential threats by offering “jobs to family.”
Such a report would be best accompanied by an international survey of repute, on the upholding of democratic practices, spoken and unspoken, by Government in Malta.
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I’d like to refer to Ciccio’s comment a while back, and to Daphne’s blog under which it falls:
”
ciccio says:
APRIL 21, 2013 AT 4:11 PM
Proposal number 1, Chapter 18, Joseph’s Rowtmepp:
“Innehhu l-ligi tal-preskrizzjoni ghall-politici dwar reati relatati mil-korruzzjoni.”
So there, Labour’s most important “proposta” in their fight against the crime of corruption would result in the breach of human rights, and hence the constitution.
And this by the party that proposes to reform the constitution.
I just hope that the Labour regime is not using Judge Giovanni Bonello to do a backtracking on its proposal. They have a tendency to manipulate others – it’s part of their philosophy of “the end justifies the means.” And they also have a history of “U-turns” for wrong policy.
REPLY
”
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Under the following posting, to Jo M’s and Evarist Saliba / ‘s comments respectively:
Jo M:
“And then we want a Whistleblower Act. As if it will make any difference. Worse, it might even be used to frame other innocent people by getting liars and vindictive persons to ‘whistleblow’ on them in return for a reward, while being protected.”
Evarist Saliba /:
“What chance on earth is there that a whistle-blower will dare to open his mouth if this means that the administration will be put in a bad light?”
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The Whistleblower Act: Another move by Joseph Muscat to protect his scam, of which the result in the current context, political climate and webbed environment of his hand-picked agents is a major farce. An insult couched in disdain.
Just tried entering Norway from Denmark, held up at passport control for 30 minutes, being asked where I got my (Maltese) passport from and being checked multiple times.
This never happened to me on previous visits to Norway. Frustrating to be treated differently now.
The answer is “for appearances sake” so that in the future he will claim that he did have talks with the EU.
The Prime Minister is in panic mode. The sale of Maltese passports is the only idea he could come up with to fund the lowering of the water and electricity tariffs.
He promised to resign if the tariffs are not reduced and will do everything to stay at Castille, at the cost of severely damaging the country’s reputation.
The deal was agreed to some two years back and sealed by the purchase of 35% interest in Enemalta by the Chinese for 200 million euro.
What other ‘arrangements’ are being baked in the Chinese oven are yet to be revealed, if ever.