“We don’t want to make things difficult for the Chinese to get a (Malta) visa” – EU Commissioner-designate Karmenu Vella
EU Commissioner-designate Karmenu Vella with Manuel Mallia, minister for visas, and the Chinese ambassador
Here is EU Commissioner-designate Karmenu Vella, interviewed last June:
We see very big potential in new emerging markets like China. There has traditionally been a very strong relationship between Malta and China but this has developed in other sectors but not in the tourism area. We signed the first tourism agreement with China in 1997.
Since then, for one reason or another, that agreement has not been fully implemented, so we think that now is the right time that we have a good look at the Chinese market.
The challenge with China especially is the fact that as yet we do not have any direct flights. We also have to work on the visa issue as well. As Malta is in the Schengen area within the European Union we have to abide by EU regulations and all the Chinese coming here will have to have a Schengen via. We don’t want to make things difficult for the Chinese to get a visa.
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http://www.the-report.net/malta/jun2014/917-interview-karmenu-vella-former-minister-for-tourism
Sugar-coated, leisure-clothed jelly babies.
Isthi Malta. Isthu PN MEPs. Isthi PN.
I cannot see a way out of this huge mess.
Joey gets weak at the knees when he sees David Cameron. Simon gets weak at the knees when he sees Joseph. Simon, where the hell are you? What are you doing?
Was the ice bucket challenge fun at all? Hilarious.
Kemm it orrajt Simon hi. Taf tinzel ghal livell ta’ kulhadd, inkluz il-marmalja ta l-ice bucket challenge. Has it not woken you up? Just make space will you.
Many people complain that the illegal immigrants are a threat to our jobs and also cite nationalistic sentiments as a justification against them. Wonder of wonders no one makes reference to the Chinese people whom the government is handing our beloved country to! Who knows, maybe people are afraid to speak up?
Exactly my thoughts. And as I was expressing this loudly some body answered back – “in the future we’ll be like the Red Indians” – confined in reserves.
And we’ll be dancing and showing off our customs – like dancing “il-kuntradanza Maltija* at the behest of Chinese tourists and bosses of the future.
What a future to look forward to.
That’s exactly how Malta appears to me right now.
Labour’s usual use of meta-language:
“We see very big potential in new emerging markets like China” = “we have a third world approach to life and are happy to take a back seat whilst China extends its African empire.”
Daphne, I refer to an earlier post calling on the PN to defend George Pullicino. I think that there are two victims here: the truth and George Pullicino.
Unless I am mistaken, it seems that the media has lost track of the issue here. Am I right to say that the media is not showing a good appreciation of the public procurement process and the distinction between an expression of interest and a tender process?
The issue consisted of two accusations to the former Minister:
1. That the feed in tariff of 22c5 was too high; and
2. That a letter by a Spanish bank was unsigned.
Former Minister Pullicino denied responsibility on both counts.
Facts are proving him right.
Yesterday and today, local media published articles with letters which Konrot Mizzi showed on Xarabank.
First of all, these are letters by interested parties – the department of contracts and the CEO of the MRA – written over the past few days. These are not historic letters from the files of the tender or expression of interest, and it is obvious that those who wrote them will not assume responsibility.
Those letters are written by parties who may be part of a police investigation, so their publication may prejudice the investigation. But now that they are public, it’s worth seeing what they say.
Secondly, the letter from the director of contracts says that the expression of interest was handled by the MRRA. Who had denied that? George Pullicino never denied that. Aren’t expressions of interest issued by the respective Ministry?
But what is the legal value of an expression of interest? Zilch.
It is only the award of a tender, and the consequent signing of a contract, that are binding. Some expressions of interest never even proceed to a tender process because interest shown is poor or there is no interest.
The award of a tender is the acceptance of the formal offer of a bidder, and this is when contractual obligation is effectively entered into.
The letter from the Director General (Contracts) dated 29 October 2014 (two days ago) is very clear that the Department of Contracts issued the tender with an invitation to the shortlisted parties, and that the tender was evaluated by an Evaluation Committee the composition of which was approved by the Department of Contracts. The letter also says that the Department of Contracts approved the evaluation report submitted by the Evaluation Committee. It further adds that “The Evaluation report dated 25th June 2012 was discussed by the General Contracts Committee and approved the recommendation of the Evaluation Committee to award the tender to Alberta Photovoltaic Consortium, who was the only bidder.”
As the Malta Independent says, “Mr Pullicino had insisted that he was not involved in the tender award.”
This is in fact what George Pullicino wrote to the Police Commissioner.
http://3c3dbeaf6f6c49f4b9f4-a655c0f6dcd98e765a68760c407565ae.r86.cf3.rackcdn.com/35d307e50ca0e5f8b6b3564f17254aa9e2c8abcf.pdf
And this is what the letter from the Director General (Contracts) confirms.
Actually, the letter published also fully confirms the facts as set out by the former Permanent Secretary in the letter published in the media earlier last week.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-10-24/local-news/Chris-Ciantar-replies-to-Konrad-Mizzi-process-was-governed-by-Department-of-Contracts-6736124317
The media is allowing the government to divert its attention from the main issue here: the power station is not on track, and if there is one piece of paper that the public wants published, it’s the contract between the government/Enemalta and Electrogas.
I cannot understand why all the fuss for the 22c5 feed in tariff mentioned. I am one of those who invested in a PV system on top of my roof and like me many others, our contract is for a payment of a feed in tariff of 22c for six years irrespective of the cost of the units bought from enemalta or whoever else. The contract was made last year 2013 and the Minister for energy responsible for issueing these contracts was?
Trabokk — and most probably you received a grant from the EU . According to Chris Ciantar the company involved did not qualify for as EU grant
Oh thank goodness, the former Minister has reacted. The truth will survive.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141101/local/pullicino-says-letters-about-pv-contract-are-nothing-new.542196
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-11-01/local-news/Energy-Minister-publishes-letters-that-show-Pullicino-s-ministry-was-responsible-for-PV-contract-6736124788
Trabokk, I think the main point here is who is going to provide Konrot Mizzi with a lower tariff?
Is there another pre-electoral deal about the feed-in-tariff?
Is China in any way involved in this?
Will China be installing free PVs – perhaps the ones from collapsed Chinese companies – on government departments and properties?
Perhaps Konrot Mizzi should be asked to publish the Evaluation report dated 25th June 2012 which was discussed by the General Contracts Committee, as mentioned by the Director General (Contracts). Together with the contract for the “electricity deal” signed in May 2014 between him – or was it not him? – and Electrogas Malta.
In fact, the public should also know who signed the “electricity deal” with Electrogas. Did the Minister sign it himself?
“We don’t want to make things difficult for the Chinese to get a (Malta) visa” – EU ”
Which translates to, “we will do dick all about it.”
Maybe 50 bottles of water will do it.
China has an EU commissioner.
I think the Chinese call these type of arrangements “win-win” deals.
And please everybody raise their glasses “CIN CIN”
Surely, CNI, CNI?
Sharon? Kevin? Karmenu? Emmy? Imbasta mhux l-Ewropa, eh?
As from today he is Commissioner not Commissioner-designate.
Malta taghna Lkoll u tac-Cinizi.
Ma nistax nifhem kif it-tlett MEPs Nazzjonalisti ivvotaw favur meta dan kien dejjem kontra EU u favur pajjizi b`ha China?
Karmenu Vella in charge of environment issues at the EU. My foot. He should have said that we don`t want to sell them visas as we do not our healthy social environment to be polluted by these scounderels who pull girls and women into white slave human traffic.
We want our environment to be protected from the cancer factory of repression, communism, cronyism, corruption and submission.