For many years, different political leaders visited Libya to hold meetings with Muammar Gaddafi. In the more distant past, he himself visited Malta and was awarded by this country.

Today, the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party have entered into a spat on who was closest to the Libyan colonel. They are attacking each other on who gave him what, who received what and who licked his shoes the most. Obviously, they are both saying that it was the “other side” which was hand in hand with him.

It started off when last Saturday the government announced that it will strip Gaddafi of the honours Malta bestowed on him. A few hours later, the Labour Party issued a statement agreeing with the government but at the same time trying to take some credit for the suggestion.

Gaddafi was made honorary member of the Xirka Ġieħ ir-Repubblika in December 1975, when the Labour Party was in government, and honorary companion of honour of the National Order of Merit in February 2004, this time under a Nationalist government. A resolution to strip him of the honours will be discussed in Parliament when it reconvenes after summer.

Since then, the two parties have been issuing statement after statement, condemning each other for the relations they had with Gaddafi, and at the same time trying to distance themselves from their own relations with him.

It is a real pity that the two parties have resorted to such tactics, which show that they have nothing better to do in the silly season, when political interest is at a low. They should immediately stop this bickering and concentrate on more important issues.

Relations, in whatever form, cannot be measured. Both parties did their best to maintain positive relations with Libya and Gaddafi when he was in full control of the country. It suited them because Malta is a close neighbour to the north African state. They wanted to be seen as friends of Gaddafi because they needed to keep him on their side.

Now that things have drastically changed in Libya, there is no need to enter into such a childish squabble. It shows a kind of immaturity that is rather disturbing to level-headed people who are concerned with the bigger issues that Libya has to face, and with how Malta has to deal with the volatile situation so close to our shores.

It is hoped that, when the matter is brought up before Parliament in a month’s time, the two sides will not continue to argue on their past relations, but simply get on with it.

The matter should then be put to rest.