The Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean (PAM) is to move to Naples permanently next February, a source told The Malta Independent.

Established in 2005, the PAM is the principal forum where the national Parliaments of the Euro-Mediterranean region deliberate to reach strategic objectives towards the creation of the best political, social, economic and cultural environment and conditions for the fellow citizens of the member states.

The Headquarters of the General Secretariat of PAM was established in Malta in November 2007, in recognition of Malta’s strategic role and commitment.

The source explained that all the plans are ready for the move to Naples which, incidentally, is the birthplace of PAM Secretary-General Sergio Piazzi.

“They are currently terminating all their contracts and services in Malta so that, come next February, they will move to Naples,” said the source, who insisted that “Malta is doing bloody nothing to stop this”.

The source had previously explained that the PAM Secretary-General, Sergio Piazzi, had left Malta with his secretary following a number of arguments with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion and that almost all of the PAM staff based in Malta had already left, apart from one worker.

Last July the source informed us that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also paying approximately €100,000 in rent for a property for PAM in St Julian’s, Palazzo Spinola that is not even being used.

In fact, their correspondence is being signed from their offices in Bucharest, Romania – which is to be considered temporary.

This newspaper was further informed that work has been coming from Bucharest for the past 18 months, as well as the fact that those in Bucharest will be in Naples from next week.

“Palazzo Spinola has been in a state of abandonment for years, and PAM left years after the Ministry was not answering them.”

These events line up with previously provided information that PAM was to move to Italy or France – an idea which may sound familiar to some.

In 2017, The Times of Malta reported that President George Vella, then Foreign Affairs Minister, had said that the PAM is doing nothing right, to the extent that there have been attempts to move the secretariat from Malta to France.

He had said that he was making his complaint public to erase any illusion that there were people who were working in favour of the Mediterranean. Although in the beginning there were valid debates, even its Secretary-General has lately been spending more time in Geneva than in Malta.

 

“No information whatsoever”

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion said that they do not have anything to add with what has already been communicated when questions were sent on the matter.

The Ministry had previously said that they had no information whatsoever that the PAM Secretariat intends to depart from Malta, nor that HE Dr Sergio Piazzi had left Malta.

“He continues to serve as the PAM Secretary-General in Malta as per the notifications that the Ministry has in hand to date.  The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion maintains a normal relationship with HE Dr Piazzi as the Head of an International Organisation based in Malta.

“In accordance with the Statute of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), the Secretariat of the PAM is located in Malta. In 2009, the Government allocated Palazzo Spinola as the headquarters of the PAM Secretariat. 

“In view of the fact that Palazzo Spinola is a historically-scheduled building that requires expert maintenance from time to time, the Government of Malta, in line with its obligations as host country, has temporarily leased office space in Aragon House Business Centre in St Julian’s to adequately serve as the PAM Secretariat in Malta, while restoration work at Palazzo Spinola are underway.

“Action in this direction was taken following consultation at every stage with the PAM Secretariat, including HE Dr Sergio Piazzi, Secretary-General of the PAM Secretariat, the latter having requested office space to house seven officials in Aragon House.  Such office space was provided accordingly.”

 

Silence on migration

Earlier this month, Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds and Social Dialogue Aaron Farrugia criticised the PAM in a video on social media regarding its silence and inaction when 500 migrants were stranded on two ships outside Malta’s territorial waters, also in the face of a worsening diplomatic crisis in the region.

“Immigration has to be put at the top of the agenda. We cannot continue having simple seminars on the issue – we need specialised working groups who can usher in robust change.”

He said that North African nations are part of the solution, and that “they must shoulder responsibility so that we can move forward.”