In Europe as of now, not enough satisfactory explanations are being given to ordinary citizens regarding the immigration crisis and its ramifications; this is a mistake. Statements asserting that based on the values which it shares, Europe cannot but show mercy and solidarity towards those who seek protection from persecution, are just not enough.
There are many people who feel afraid about what's going on. They fear that they'll be overwhelmed by the waves of new comers or that refugees will create new financial burdens for them to carry. These and similar fears should be addressed. Where solutions exist, they should be spelt out; where there are still no solutions in sight, this too should be admitted.
For instance, the question regarding where funds are going to come from, might not be as tough as it sounds. Germany which is ready to admit a record number of refugees will be able to finance the operation without too much difficulty. Other countries will have less leeway.
However in the wake of current developments, public spending in Europe could grow beyond what had been planned up to now. This will continue to stoke the circulation of money thereby undermining austerity policies which are still dominant. Stagnant economies could discover that they are recovering quicker than forecasted.
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INDEPENDENCE
Rightly, Independence Day is no longer a subject of controversy. It took us half a century to reach this stage. For many years, Independence Day provoked polarisation. Today practically everybody agrees it should be commemorated.
Which does not mean that divergent interpretations of its significance will not persist. In fact, there cannot be just one way by which to portray the event. Itforms part of a complex process that occured on a number of different levels, and not just those of politics and economic management.
Even in the narrative that one could make of the process that led to Independence, the perspective could change depending on which date one takes as starting point – like say the Second World War, as contrasted to the times when Camillo Sceberras and Giorgio Mitrovich were lobbying in favour of the rights of the Maltese people.
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BOOKS
The National Book Council should be applauded for having launched initiatives to bring people closer to books.
It seems that the number of print publications has been increasing year after year, which is surprising given the competition to book reading afforded by the electronic media. The point is also made though that the Maltese are mong the European nations who read least.
The print media themselves give scant attention to books. In most foreign newspapers, a special section is regularly devoted to the presentation and criticism of new books. Not in Malta (with the recent exception of It-Torċa). They carry special sections on films, sports obviously, TV, travel and restaurant, but not on books. It's a pity.