Tonio Borg interviewed on Sky
Published:
March 19, 2011 at 6:25pm
A cringe-making performance
I’ll tell you about it when I’ve calmed down and composed myself. Meanwhile, do try and catch the clip in a later update.
I’m warning you that you will need to go out for a run afterwards to let off steam.
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Further embarrassment, despite embarrassing historical mistakes:
GRAN BRETAGNA – La Gran Bretagna sta dispiegando aerei da combattimento Tornado e Eurofighter verso le basi vicine alla Libia.
Potrebbe essere coinvolta Cipro, dove recentemente erano posizionati tre aerei radar Awacs. Londra dispone anche di basi a Malta ma La Valletta non ha dato l’OK per il loro utilizzo. Due fregate Britanniche incrociano attualmente nel Mediterraneo, la Westminster e la Cumberland.
Il Messagero
Having his brother there weeks back may have elicited such a reaction from him. But now?
Malta is in the shit anyway, with Gaddafi having said that no civilian vessel or aircraft in the Mediterranean will be spared should Libya be attacked by the west (whether or not Malta is used as a military base).
Malta is only trying to keep in Gaddafi’s good books (for nothing, might I add again) like lily-livered chickens. Sound principles indeed.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Video-Maltas-Deputy-Prime-Minister-Tonio-Borg-Talks-To-Sky-News/Video/201103315956001?lid=VIDEO_15956001_Video:MaltasDeputyPrimeMinisterTonioBorgTalksToSkyNews&lpos=searchresults
Sit down and weep……where the fuck are we getting our diplomatic advice?
Maybe we’re getting it from Matrenza.
Rigu, thanks for link as I had missed the interview on Sky.
Ma, tal-misthija u tal-biki. Communication skills nil, contradicting himself about UN resolutions and, to top it all, declaring that, according to our constitution, we are neutral and therefore cannot participate in intervention.
He conveniently forgot (or told a whopper, fibbed or, to put it plainly, lied) that because there is a UN Security Council resolution, we can participate fully. A couple of AWACS or tanker aircraft at MIA would not create any inconvenience u konna nigbru giehna.
I actually went red in the face.
We are ruled by idiots.
This goes to show that what I always thought was 100% correct. When I saw some policies (not necessarily the Libyan ‘saga’) Gonzi adopted as PM, I concluded that he would make a perfect Labour leader. Tonio is just a yes-man. Always was and always will be.
I didn’t watch this and quite frankly I don’t want to hear.
Daphne, can you please send an e-mail to Sky News and tell them that a lot of the Maltese people are ashamed of their Government. The rest of the world need to know how we feel.
[Daphne – Everyone is free and able to do that.]
Done ! Go on everyone … [email protected]
Emails to SKY News can be sent to :
[email protected]
Here it is :
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Video-Maltas-Deputy-Prime-Minister-Tonio-Borg-Talks-To-Sky-News/Video/201103315956001?lid=VIDEO_15956001_Video%3AMaltasDeputyPrimeMinisterTonioBorgTalksToSkyNews&lpos=searchresults
Daphne can you please send an e-mail to Sky News and tell them that a lot of the Maltese people are ashamed of their Government. The rest of the world need to know how we feel.
Send your complaint to [email protected]
I’ve done my part.
What an embarrassment. I remember in the 80s few times we went overseas we did not say we were Maltese. After fighting for freedom and come 87 I was so proud to be Maltese, then move to becoming EU members.
Now I am lost, singled out as the EU state not supporting this. Please God don’t let this happen again and to my kids. Shame on the government I have supported since the 80s.
I might send a petition to Britain to take away our George Cross. We are not worthy of it.
Have just seen the bit on Sky News. As Sarko would probably put it – a bit of a “ouenquere” n’est ce-pas?
I just emailed Tonio Borg to let him know how I feel about what he’s saying and doing. Email bounced back because his quota has been exceeded. I’d like to think it’s because people are bombarding him with emails saying how disgusted they are with him.
For all it is worth, I have just sent following email to SKY News:
“I have just seen your interview with Dr Tonio Borg, Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is not entirely correct in stating that Malta cannot participate in military intervention in Libya as, according to its constitution, it is a neutral country. There is a clause in the Maltese Constitution which says that if there is a UN Security Council resolution, as in this case, Malta can participate in such an intervention, say, by offering use of air and port facilities. I am sending this email so as to remove the wrong impression given by Dr Borg in his interview with Sky News.”
I don’t think ‘militarily neutral’ (Tonio Borg on Sky) is the best way to define Malta’s position.
Malta is categorically NOT neutral. It forms part of the effort to oust Gaddafi, but its role, as defined by the constitution, is one that promotes peace through non-military means.
As such, Malta’s humanitarian, peace-promoting role can not be compromised by any military involvement.
Cut the crap, Kevin. You’ve carped on long enough about the neutrality clause for everyone to know the decision not to be involved is political and not constitutional.
It has ALWAYS been political, Corinne Vella. The constitution simply constitutes part of the argument for.
The pinnacle of Malta’s bravery: holding on to two Mirage fighters and not sending their pilots back to Gaddafi.
Tonio is soooooo proud, he had to mention it twice, bless his little white cotton socks.
You never know, maybe we will get the Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, or even the American Medal of Honour. They would look grand on our flag, next to the George Cross.
How many times are we going to hear about the grand evacuation efforts made by Malta in defence of a bunch of spineless politicians.
What exactly did Malta do, in terms of evacuation, that any other western nation wouldn’t have matched and superseded.
I love living in Malta and I’ve really grown fond of the Maltese people in general, but your politicians – both sides of the fence – have lost the last bits of credibility in my eyes.
Totally agree. I have lived here for almost 20 years, love Malta and the Maltese. However, the politicians they elect are all sub normal, self serving, gutless hypocrites. Proud to be Canadian, as they throw their jets into the fray.
Oh, because the policians YOU (used to) elect are uber-normal, selfless, altruistic heroes who speak only truths.
Kemm qeghdin sew, ukoll! Zazu ta’ Bu-Torontu jrid jaghllimna d-dutrina tal-Punent.
Well maybe they weren’t as lucky as the Maltese, who were blessed with a plethora of ‘Allahares nidhlu in the EU’ Sharons, Kev.
Yep. Kevvy. BTW, where I come from it’s very ignorant to ‘talk behind one’s back’, ie employ a lanquage one does not understand. Yeah, I know, should have learned it by now.
That’s to send you to Google Translate and let you decipher the ‘translation’ – you deserve that, don’t you think?
That is one of the PM’s major faults: he has surrounded himself with and put all his trust in people such as Tonio Borg and Carm Mifsud Bonnici, who doubtlessly would have been excellent tal-Muzew members.
SPOT ON! I’ve had professional dealings with some of these people and their brains move no faster than 5mph. No spunk, no class, no culture, no inductive ability and a deadpan expression.
Baxxter is quite right here, these two are waste of space.
Never mind the excuses, which make Malta look like a cowering chicken at worst.
But Borg’s horrible reply to that horrible question still rings in my ears – “I wouldn’t say so…”. He wouldn’t say so! It doesn’t just ring. It stings. How utterly shameful.
Does Malta side with Gaddafi? “I wouldn’t say so…” Arrrgh.
I think this man is incompetent. Period.
So, while so much is going on in the world, Minister Tonio Fenech was busy reporting his Twistees Factory visit on Facebook.
Today, this appears on his Facebook “wall”, and he must be completely oblivious to it:
Romina Borg
Romina Borg Position today!
Romina Borg Position today!
Find Your Kamasutra With Clothes Position!
category: Kamasutra
Ratings: 5..
http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/profile.php?id=1073243836
The more I see, the more I despair. Our ministers are letting us down with their ridiculous behaviour – or with their lack of civil decency.
Listen to this interview. Sit down and weep. Shame on you, Dr Borg!
I watched the footage live here in the UK, and thought it shameful how SKY staged the interview to have it look like Malta was pro-Gaddaffi and anti UN military option.
I am sure the issue of Maltese neutrality was defined during Mintoff’s days in power, rather than PN’s.
[Daphne – Both parties were required to make that amendment to the Constitution. You cannot blame Sky for Tonio Borg’s inadequacies. The interviewer was polite and kind enough to him as it was.]
However, what you fail to realise is Tonio Borg did emphasize that Malta will help any humanitarian effort and will engage in the UN resolution.
[Daphne – Let me just put it to you another way, Des. ‘Will you allow us to use your airstrip?’ ‘No.’ ‘Will you help the aid effort?’ ‘No.’ How does that play, do you think? Refuse to cooperate in the military effort and you look like you’re showing solidarity with Gaddafi. Refuse to cooperate with the humanitarian aid effort and you look like scum.]
Germany abstained in its vote only, but were still looked upon favourably after it was announced that Germany will have a future contribution to operations in Afghanistan. If Malta has a military neutrality in Malta’s Constitution, it can be overridden.
[Daphne – Correction. It does not even come into play. The Constitution makes an exception for military action mandated by the UN Security Council.]
Bear in mind, Libyan territorial waters extend to 82 miles south of Malta, which put Malta very close to the firing line.
[Daphne – Bear in mind, there’s a naval blockade on. Gaddafi and his ships are going nowhere.]
Therefore, it is understandable that Malta would not want to be a target.
[Daphne – Nobody wants to be a target. But some countries were, and it wasn’t Malta. Gaddafi’s main targets for terrorism were Britain and the US (the names Lockerbie, PanAm, IRA and US soldiers in a Berlin nightclub might mean something to you) but it hasn’t stopped them going for his throat. On the contrary, they are going for his throat precisely because they don’t want the same thing to happen again. And Cameron has said so.]
You may say this is cowardly but that it is the worst criticism Malta could possibly be slapped with.
[Daphne – No, actually the worst criticism Malta faces now is that it is on the side of the Gaddafi regime but pretending not to be.]
Also remember that Malta has a population of over 400,000 on an area no larger than the Isle of Weight. Therefore any military damage would be extensive. Malta has chosen to self preserve, and for this SKY was far too harsh in the judgement it try to deliver to millions of viewers in the UK and worldwide. I think that SKY owes it to Malta to rectify the smear.
[Daphne – Isle of Weight? Is that Carb Central, or what? Self-preserve! The best way to self-preserve is to permanently eliminate a threat. But I guess the Maltese government and Opposition can’t see that far.]