An attack on Malta would mean an attack on the European Union, said opposition spokesman for foreign affairs Carm Mifsud. He also said the context of Malta’s neutrality had changed.

Speaking to this newspaper, he said that in the eventuality of a threat to Malta, any action would be taken within an EU context uniting these states against a common foe.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici was referring to Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella’s comments to this newspaper where he expressed concern over the IS infiltration in certain countries, highlighting the need for Malta’s military defence provisions to be reviewed.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said: “Admittedly IS is emerging as a stronger, better armed and determined force in Iraq but one is yet to see to what extent it will remain doing so, considering the fact that a new alliance is in formation led by the US to curb them.

“This, apart from the fact that one still has to gauge what strengths it has garnered in Libya or any other North African state.”

Dr Vella had told this newsroom that he feared the IS could infiltrate Libya next.

Dr Vella also stated in the interview with this newspaper that Malta’s constitutional neutrality does not render us immune to new threats that have emerged.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said it is clear that our neutrality has evolved in a particular context which has now changed.

“As such the relevance of our neutrality as well as its effectiveness in today’s context needs to be discussed at greater length bearing in mind that all the while, we are now members of the EU which is itself developing a common defence policy along with its common and security policy”.

In Dr Mifsud Bonnici’s opinion, it is in this direction that we ought to look to pursue our security and defence interests.

“As such it is the government’s duty to ensure that the EU’s common defence and security policies are determined in a manner that reflect our geo-strategic interests as well as our long standing pursuit for peace and dialogue in our region.

“In this light, should any belligerent force pose an actual threat to us, it would also be doing so to our fellow EU member states.”

With regards to the handling of the present Libyan crisis, he said the facts speak for themselves. “Had it not been for the Nationalist Party which filed a motion and insisted on a debate on the Libya issue, the government would not have got its act together.

“The 2011 and present situation have one thing in common: the safety of Maltese citizens. How we conducted matters three years ago and how this government has done this time lies before people’s eyes.

“What is evident is that this government has lagged behind and was not interested to interact truly and effectively with our Libyan counterparts,” Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

“As a last but surely extremely important point, we condemn, together with the authoritative voice of Pope Francis, the deaths and executions being carried out in Iraq especially that of Christians.

“And here we would have expected the minister to state the Maltese government’s position in your interview on this matter which he has strangely refrained from doing”.