The government should stop lying about Austria. Or do we now want a diplomatic war with Austria, too?
Published:
January 18, 2014 at 1:59am
25 Comments Comment
Leave a Comment
Featured Posts
-
Paltry €50,000 fine for illegal Siggiewi zoo lifted in exchange for state school visits...more
-
Owner of illegal Siggiewi zoo parties with Environment Minister one day before Planning Authority sanctions it...more
-
World Economic Forum index/Malta: public trust in politicians plummets 17 places in one year...more
-
When freeloading Clyde Puli spent 16 days at the Olympic Games in China and made us pay for it...more
-
The leader of the Nationalist Party and Miss Rebecca Dimech...more
-
Well, the Kap tal-Kattolici u l-Latini certainly has a roving eye...more
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131215/local/Austria-comparisons-to-citizenship-deal-odious-.498976#.UtlZL3ikrCQ
L-ewwel u qabel kollox. Great, it’s back to jingoism then.
Mr. Plumpton did a very good job. He definitely won the debate. Well done.
Jekk dak li qed jghidu fuq ONE (ghax issa ma ghadux SUPER) dwar l-Awstrija hu gideb, allura dik hi propaganda Lejburista, zerriegha tas-sunflower ghall pappagalli li jpoggu fuq is-sigar tal-misrah tar-rahal.
Jekk il-ONE ikun hemm xi haga li d-dinja kollha titkellem fuqha imma ONE ma jghidhiex, allura dak li ma jghidx il ONE huma il vera ahbarijiet, sincieri, onesti, dritti u mhux mghawwgin.
Excellent showing by Kevin Plumpton. Well done.
Is it not ironic that Malta is selling its passports exactly in the year of the 50th anniversary of our independence and the creation of the Maltese Passport?
One cannot help but think that this denigration of the Maltese passport (because it is nothing short of that) is yet another desire to deny the cardinal importance of Malta’s acquisition of its independence as we saw for years during Mintoff’s regime.
This is Mintoff V2.
The major strategic tactic for the Labour Party for the next MEP elections is going to be INTERRUPTIONS like it was in the past elections.
This is the first time I listened to a “debate” where a PN candidate (Kevin Plumpton) nearly succeeded in driving his arguments home. The pontificating PL candidate (Cyrus Engerer) jumped in with another question every time Plumpton was about to conclude his arguments. And that’s not to mention the interruptions by the moderator.
The PN should study a way to handle this situation, if it wants to get its message through to the voting public.
[Daphne – There is nothing to study or research. There is the time-honoured method, which nobody – but NOBODY – seems able to use in Malta, and this is to say, very firmly and calmly, “With your permission, I shall continue.” And when things get really bad, it is essential to be direct and specific and to say the following with calm authority: “Please have the good manners not to interrupt me mid-sentence or shout over me. I am perfectly prepared to listen to what you have to say, so kindly behave in a civilized manner.” Where the interrupter/shouter holds public office or another important position, you can add “as befits your station”. Of course, you need the equivalent in Maltese, but I’m sure that can be developed.]
Make a campaign on how a civilised debate evolves, train the PN speakers on how to handle people who interrupt.
Let us start ridiculing people who interrupt; they are the barriers of good communication and freedom of expression.
[Daphne – Actually, they are worse than that. They are vulgar, badly brought up, crass, ill-mannered and a poor reflection on the parenting skills of those who raised them, and on their own ability to learn good manners by observation. They are unfit for civilized company. All of this should be pointed out to them, as they find this sort of thing of more concern than being a barrier to good communication. They are, in short, the proper meaning of hamalli, which doesn’t mean a working-class person but a loud, vulgar, crass person. Unfortunately, the moderators are not much better and clearly come from a social background in which it is normal for people to shout over each other and interrupt, otherwise they would see this behaviour for the uncivilized vulgarity that it is and call their guests to order. I found Xarabank intolerable yesterday – Mario Philip Azzopardi and Deborah Schembri behaved like pigs newly released from their pen. No manners at all. Schembri wasn’t at all like that in the divorce debate, but now she clearly wants to fit in with her friends. The arrogance and rudeness are unbelievable. And Mario Philip Azzopardi should understand, hard though it might be, that he is no longer a spring chicken and now comes across increasingly as the sort of tedious old man people avoid getting cornered by at drinks parties.]
Kevin Plampton’s arguments could have smashed Cyrus Engerer’s far better if he wasn’t constantly interrupted by one question after another, leaving the lazy viewer on the couch uninformed and still undecided.
The Labour Party stooges will keep parroting these lies until hell or Joseph freezes over.
I bet the 1000 passport applicants are already listed. They will manage to keep these passports secret.
The government is accepting applications already and remember, the secrecy clause has not been withdrawn yet.
http://www.wien.gv.at/english/administration/civilstatus/citizenship/obtain.html
Why is it that Labour is, once again, programming its speakers like robots with political language like “tixwix”, “tradituri,” “Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox,” – the same stuff of the Golden Years? I even remember Alfred Sant calling Dom Mintoff a “traditur” in the short period of Labour government in 1996-1998.
This is the language of last defence, when one has one’s back to the wall.
This is not the language of government. Not the language of 2014. Not the language of progressives and moderates who pretend to be liberals. Definitely not the political language of a modern EU country, where the prime minister says that EU policy is now part of domestic policy.
Before the elections, Joseph Muscat – reading from his teleprompters – had claimed that “Inbdilna, ejjew maghna.”
Of course, on this website, we never believed him, and we were right.
In Labour, the more things change, the more they remain the same.
Joe Mizzi decided to remove the differential tariffs for non-residents in public transport. He argued that infringement proceedings could result in a fine from the Commission. Having a single tariff for residents and non-residents will cost the taxpayer 3.7 million euros.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-01-14/news/bus-tickets-cost-non-residents-374m-more-in-2013-3679551488/
On the other hand, Toni Abela downplays the European Commission’s threats of possible action regarding the sale of passports and describes it as nothing out of the normal.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-01-18/news/commissions-possible-proceedings-nothing-out-of-the-ordinary-pl-deputy-3718742016/
How inconsistent. For public transport, government gives a walkover. For the passport scheme, government decides to fight it out although all indications are that it is in the wrong.
They do not really care, as far as they are concerned we could jepordize our diplomatic relations with all EU countries, the most important is that we keep healthy diplomatic relations with communist states the likes of China.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140118/local/prime-minister-insists-citizenship-proposal-is-in-line-with-international-treaties.503113
“Malta’s citizenship programme was in line with European treaties, did not breach international laws and fulfilled requirements, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this morning.”
Good. Now that we have this declaration from the Prime Minister, it is the turn of the Opposition to ask the Prime to publish the legal advice which he has to support his statement. He is well known to conduct thorough due diligence on whatever he does, so this should be a piece of cake.
The Citizenship 4 Sale is a matter of national interest, he said. So the nation should know how we are not in violation of international and EU law.
We also deserve to know who gave the advice and to understand how qualified, independent and experienced on the subject matter those advisors were.
“…to ask the Prime Minister…” in the second paragraph.
Fire at Castille reported today.
Seems like the liar’s pants finally did catch fire.
Is the Ambassador to Austria in Malta not rebutting what the PL and its supporters are saying that Austria has a similar programme – could it be just a matter of diplomacy ? If not, why is she not saying that the programme that Austria has is in fact not a programme at all but that it is a clause in their Constitution which relates to citizenship.
[Daphne – http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131215/local/Austria-comparisons-to-citizenship-deal-odious-.498976#.UtsNNrA1gdW ]
Jien ma nistax nifhem kif meta l-kelliema tal-PL jghidu li l-MEPs Maltin Nazzjonalisti ivvutaw kontra Malta, ma jiftakrux li Joseph Muscat kien ghamel minn kollox biex iwaqqaf miljuni ta’ euro li gew lejn Malta ghall-irrangar ta’ Sant Antnin.
The Austrian program is hardly comparable with the Malta program.
First of all, the Austrian program is not open for application, rather it is only on an invitation basis.
Secondly, there is no quota set but at most, it had not granted over 20+ applications in any one year.
Thirdly, only these candidates ranked at the top tier in their professional sphere in the world class level will be considered and each candidate invited will have to prepare a detailed plan of establishment in Austria and to live it up for some time before Citizenship will be granted.
Finally, these candidates must invest in an active company to be operated by themselves in Austria. Contribution in the form of donation is also but it is only part of the obligation. The amount of donation is Euros 2 to 3 Million minimum.
[Daphne – Your entire argument is fallacious because it is based on a false premiss: that there is an Austrian programme. There isn’t. So any comparison between Malta and Austria is by definition void.]
From http://www.austria-citizenship.com/
”A minimum of atleast EUR 2-3 million in Austria economy (donation to charity)
(or)
A recoverable minimum investment of US$ 10 million+ in economy of Austria”
Malta – much much cheaper!
[Daphne – I’m afraid you’re quoting a tacky site run by consultants who wish to hoodwink people into thinking they can buy Austrian citizenship. This is not an official site run by the Austrian state. The clue (apart from the obvious)? The Our Services in the menu bar: http://www.austria-citizenship.com/our-services/ Also, you have already been told off for posting this on Facebook by, as I recall, Claudine Cassar, who pointed out to you the same thing I have done here, to which you responded ‘Sorry’. Clearly, you were not sorry at all. For your own sake, do not persist in ignorance.]
Daphne, I have posted this on Facebook but I have not responded that I am sorry. I posted this here and on FB just to get someone to clarify whether this is what the PL are quoting as a similar scheme. I too had my reservations when I browsed it.
Yesterday (Friday 17th) “The Times of Malta” carried a letter by Jim Hennessy (Ambassador of Ireland) who basically declared that there is “no provision for ‘instant citizenship’ in Ireland”.
Hereunder is a link to Wikipedia which gives detailed information about citizenship in Spain according to the Spanish Nationality Law.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_nationality_law
What is Cyrus Engerer’s position on posting nude selfies of exes on the web without their consent?
Kevin Plumpton burst PL’s hot air balloon on Austria’s citizenship scheme.
I do not think that Austria will engage in a diplomatic war with Malta.
Austria will treat Malta like the prostitute third world country that it is.
It will completely ignore Malta.
I knew Cyrus Engerer five years ago – it’s a shame he has ended up this way, and I don’t mean voting Labour, either.
Based on what I’m hearing of the various representatives (PM, Ministers, MPs and MEP candidates) of the Labour Party, where:
(a) they keep saying that Malta is first and foremost (l-ewwel u qabel kollox) and
(b) that the Nationalist Party MEPs and Opposition have been slinging mud at Malta overseas,
I think that this observation is pertinent.
If there is a family on five, two parents, a son and two daughters, and they are in need of money to renovate their house (create social housing) and buy gifts for a forthcoming family wedding (general election), in order to be able to appear as the most generous of the lot in the extended family (the electorate), is it justifiable, correct, or acceptable that the father should decide to pimp his daughter (prostitute her) in order to earn the sum required over a determined period of time?
And is it acceptable, justifiable, correct, or honourable, that the mother should turn a blind eye in order to keep the family “united” and “above criticism”?
Or should the mother tell other people about what the father is doing to their daughter (she’s not just his daughter), in desperate hope that it should be stopped before it starts, as it will cause irreparable harm to the daughter, the family, and society?
Is it the mother’s duty and obligation to do her absolute utmost to stop the pimping of her daughter by her own father?
Is the mother’s first obligation to keep mum in order to protect the family’s reputation and not to hinder their overall financial and economical advancement?
In the same way, therefore, how can it be acceptable that the Labour Party in government, expects, demands, derides and chides the Nationalist Party in opposition for standing up and speaking out (and telling everyone who will listen) that the national patrimony of citizenship (something that is owned by every Maltese citizen) is being sold (pimped) in order to top-up the country’s coffers, and in the process make a few people rather wealthy (or wealthier).
And how can the Labour Party expect us all not to get so very upset that it’s prostituting our common progeny?