In his desperate attempt to divert attention from the best budget the Maltese people have seen in ages, considering that this is the first budget of the new administration – because the 2013 budget was presented by the outgoing PN government – the Opposition leader is purposely confusing the identity of the Maltese people, with a Maltese passport and citizenship! Those endowed with a modicum of sense can easily see through Dr Simon Busuttil’s ploy!
What constitutes our Maltese identity? First and foremost it is our Maltese language. We are the only people who speak our language and this distinguishes us from all other peoples. Our long and glorious history is another very important attribute that forms our Maltese identity – our Maltese culture and our traditions. Our Catholic religion still forms an important part of our identity, even if today there are quite a number of Maltese citizens who practise other religions or are non-believers. How can anyone even think that all these things that form our Maltese identity can ever be given or sold to foreigners who speak other languages, have a very different culture and history and practise a different religion or no religion at all?
Those who are saying that, through the Individual Investors Programme, our government will be selling Malta’s identity, even “our soul” for good measure (!), are insulting the intelligence of the Maltese people they say they represent!
On the other hand, “citizenship” can also be acquired by foreigners who satisfy one of a number of conditions, or even none at all! In fact, there have been cases where Maltese citizenship has been granted by the Minister “on humanitarian grounds”, whatever those grounds may have been! In Parliament, the Prime Minister has revealed that 7,000 people had applied for and been given Maltese citizenship, 1,100 during the year prior to the election! Rest assured that Maltese identity was not given to any foreigner, since we acquire our Maltese identity at birth!
But listening to Simon Busuttil haranguing his diehard supporters with shouts that our government would be “selling” our Maltese Identity, one may think that, say, a Chinese, Russian, Indian, South African, American, Canadian, etc., whose application to acquire citizenship through the Individual Investors Programme is accepted, would start speaking Maltese, be proud of Maltese traditions and culture and even change their religion as soon as they have our Maltese passport and citizenship in their hands! What utter nonsense!
Dr Busuttil has been reported as saying: “Malta is the worst country in the world”, after having said: “Malta is the worst country in Europe” just a few weeks ago! Such irresponsible and anti-national statements, certainly qualify Malta’s Opposition leader as the worst Opposition leader our country has ever had the misfortune to have!
Eddy Privitera
MOSTA