Yesterday week, the Europeans sent out a strong message: they are not happy with this kind of EU.
This tallies with Imperium Europa’s anti-EU, pro-Europe message. What the Communist media calls the “far right” is not that far anymore. It finds itself occupying an increased portion in Brussels. The average turnout, circa 43%, shows that the Europeans do not really bother about the European Union. This average declines in every election and serves as an omen.
More positive news for the Real Right is that Schultz has failed to achieve his aims, hence Malta has lost a friend it didn’t need.
In Malta, Imperium Europa thought it could do even better, but the result is still fantastic. Labour won by a huge majority notwithstanding the fact that they are in government and that the turnout was low. The so-called “Nationalist” party emerged as the major loser in this election thanks to a significant number of votes that went to other parties they had ignored and refused to debate with throughout the campaign. Had the party been truly nationalist, there would have been no need for Imperium Europa to stand for election. The latter issued a manifesto that covered a number of issues but illegal immigration was the major concern since it affects everything.
Such concerns are shared by supporters of very successful movements such as UKIP and Front National. Now that the people have spoken, they cannot be ignored. This irritates local parties and some interested others who became increasingly preoccupied when Mr Lowell’s votes kept piling up. They were quick to point fingers and came up with libellous statements such as attributing to Mr Lowell certain statements he had never voiced. Among these was Prof. Cassola who felt insulted with the result despite enjoying much more media attention during the campaign. He specifically claimed that Mr Lowell’s votes should set off an alarm since the country has an increasing number of people believing in an ideology that wants to “hang people”. Well, perhaps it is the result itself that choked Prof. Cassola.
His party’s manifesto described how AD would reduce the jail term for illegal immigrants from 18 to six months. Furthermore, it specified that after the six-month period they will be given a work permit and Maltese citizenship on a silver platter. How can the Maltese, like their European counterparts, ever give credence to this party when Europeans are sending a loud and clear message on the phenomenon of uncontrolled mass immigration, particularly from countries whose economies are in a worse state than ours?
Imperium Europa’s success is also thanks to Mr Galea, Ms Baldacchino and a number of staunch supporters who did their best for the movement, not for themselves. The two candidates who contested with Mr Lowell didn’t get a high number of votes but they were instrumental in Mr Lowell’s success. They worked hard for the country and people and not for themselves, like other armchair politicians had done during the campaign. One can of course point a finger at Mr Lowell; he is used to it anyway. But how can the other candidates, the supporters and the voters also be included in these unfounded accusations of racism and xenophobia I ask? This utterly ridiculous stance by the media exposes them for what they are.
On Reporter, Saviour Balzan’s programme, Dr Beppe Fenech Adami stated “The vote is outrageous, considering that Lowell claims irregular migrants should be shot and persons with disability should be killed.”
How can a small movement like Imperium Europa file a libel against every angry lunatic in this country? Dr Toni Abela, present in the same programme, was hypocritical enough to applaud him. The same Dr Abela, way back when he was in Opposition, had met Mr Lowell several times. During one of their encounters, Dr Abela gave his opinion about a solution to illegal immigration. I invite Dr Abela to inform the general public about this solution!
The fact that Mr Lowell, in previous years, never bothered to open court cases against those who defamed him, doesn’t give the go ahead to others to claim an accusation as a fact. In this campaign, Imperium Europa was very clear about its stand against burden sharing and in favour of push-back and repatriation. One wonders why some feel that this is racist when such a solution is implemented by many countries like America, Australia and Israel, who are slightly bigger than Malta. Furthermore, our current Prime Minister had promised push-back during the general election campaign and attempted repatriation once he was elected.
It all started when the media accused Imperium Europa of coming up with a racist advert/spot on TVM since this pointed out the correlation that exists between immigrants and infectious diseases and crime. The spot treated everyday reality. In 2009, virologist Dr Barbara had stated that out of 100 people treated for HIV in Malta, half of them were immigrants. The previous health minister, Dr Farrugia, had also claimed that in 2011, 73% of the total TB cases occurred in migrants and that from 2002 to 2011, the TB rate in the migrant population increased significantly. These facts were not invented by Imperium Europa. Neither were the increasing number of violent fights and crimes committed by foreigners in Malta. St Julian’s mayor, Mr Bonello, has lately called for more CCTV cameras in Paceville after an 18-year-old man had his neck slashed by foreigners.
One would be wrong to conclude that all illegal immigrants are criminals and sick. However, one has every right to state that illegal immigrants coming from a continent that shares very different cultures, realities and education, have contributed to this rise in criminality and disease.
The prison statistics also show that the number of foreigners jailed in Malta is very high when considering the fact that they are a minority. Is it racist to note such facts? Is it not natural to be concerned about who they really are when the authorities, in most cases, have no means of acquiring their criminal records? Shouldn’t our community, the majority of whom is Roman Catholic, which recognises LGBT rights, women’s rights and so on, be cautious about how such unknown immigrants would affect it at a later stage when the numbers increase due to further immigration and high birth rates?
During short debates with the contesting candidates, I had the opportunity to talk about knowthefacts, a pamphlet issued by the European Union. This claims that in 2013, two per cent of the immigrants qualified for refugee status whereas 69% qualified for subsidiary protection. The candidates, from both parties, were very frank with me and admitted that illegal immigration is a problem. Yet they had separate beliefs with all of them agreeing that both those who qualify for refugee status and those who qualify for subsidiary protection, should not be sent back. The definition of subsidiary protection is this:
“The protection given to a third-country national or a stateless person who does not qualify as a refugee but in respect of whom substantial grounds have been shown for believing that the person concerned, if returned to his or her country of origin, or in the case of a stateless person, to his or her country of former habitual residence, would face a real risk of suffering serious harm as defined in Article 15 of 2004/83/EC, and to whom Article 17(1) and (2) of 2004/83/EC do not apply, and is unable, or, owing to such risk, unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country.”
One is free to google ‘subsidiary protection’ to see what the UNHCR decided they should enjoy, thanks to the taxpayer.
The Italian Prime Minister has revealed that 800,000 Africans are lined up in Libya and set to cross the Mediterranean this summer. Let me give you a rough and reasonable indication of what the burden sharing policy would bring ashore:
• Assuming only half that number cross over to Europe, the number goes down to 400,000.
• Assuming Malta will only be called to rescue one sixth of them – the number goes down to approximately 66,500
• Assuming two per cent and 69% qualify for refugee status and subsidiary protection respectively – the number goes down to 47,215.
Is Malta prepared to face this number in just one summer? Aren’t these “knowthefacts” worthy of public dissemination?
Imperium Europa (IE) is not prepared to accept such an influx but nor are we prepared to let them sink as accused. A push-back policy would send a strong message to those who are planning to cross illegally. Eventually, these illegal crossings will stop and Malta/Europe would not only be spared the burden but Africans would also be spared the attendant risk. IE is accused of focusing on Africans. This claim is partly true but it is true since statistics show that the vast waves of illegal immigrants come by boat and from Africa.
IE believes in diversity and doesn’t want this country to follow in the footsteps of others, where they failed. Multiculturalism, that concept which little by little phases out the diverse characteristic of the country that experiments with it, has utterly failed just like burden sharing. This is not IE’s invention either, but statements made by Merkel, Sarkozy and Cameron a few years back. Why is Malta allowing itself to drift in the same direction where mainland Europe has failed?
Will Peppi Azzopardi, the one who claims to “love the mix”, come to the rescue once we end up like Britain, France and Germany and hence with a Prime Minister who can do nothing except claim that “it failed”? Note that all three countries represented by the mentioned Prime Ministers saw a surge of euro-scepticism and right-wing support specifically due to immigration.
If the parties are genuinely interested in the future of our island home, they should stop complaining/rejoicing because of the EP2014 result and rid themselves of the prejudice against our movement. Only then would they be able to take note of our advice and act in the interest of this country and people. Dr Muscat’s “Taghna Lkoll” proved to be a gimmick during the campaign since his media failed to invite the other parties as per the BA’s directive. For this they were fined. Now that the electorate chose Labour once again, is it ready to include further waves of immigrants in the “Taghna Lkoll” community? Is the Opposition, which hardly exists, ready to go on promoting burden-sharing? Wouldn’t it be best to pay attention to what an increasing number of people, now forming part of another third party in Malta, are saying in the interest of us all?
Adriano Spiteri
Imperium Europa