What a sad, divided country we live in.

Even matters which should bring us closer in one united expression of pride end up tearing us apart.

We just cannot help it. Or, maybe we should say there will always be people who spoil the moment. People who should know better, we may add.

The latest episode came in the form of a "ġbejna tan-naghag", a cheeselet made from sheep's milk which has acquired the European Union's status of Protection Designation of Origin after securing approval from the European Commission.

This traditional product became the first from Malta to be granted such an honour. Malta had been the only European country not to have any of its products on the EU's protected food heritage. The news was broken by the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola last week.

It was supposed to have been a moment of national pride, one rare moment in which all the country comes together to enjoy the occasion. Just like when the national team is playing, or when a Maltese singer is taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest.

But in comes the Labour Party's deputy leader for party affairs Alex Agius Saliba to ruin it all.

In an attempt to mock Metsola, he uploaded a post on Facebook in which he pointed out that the cheeselet Metsola is seen with in the photo announcing the gbejna's PDO status is made from cow's milk and, therefore, according to him is not offered protection.

Just to remind you, Agius Saliba is also a Labour MEP who could not bring himself to applaud or congratulate Metsola when she was re-elected as EP President after last year's election, a clear sign that he does not think highly of her, and is envious of her achievements.

Agius Saliba's stunt, however, backfired.

The farmer who had given Metsola the cheeselet she is seen with in the photo was quick to respond, pointing out that the ġbejna she is holding is, actually, made of sheep's milk. "Those ġbejniet," Carmelo Saliba wrote, "are from Zebbug, Gozo and are tan-naghag (sheep)... and whenever you want come over to taste them like Roberta did."

In a nutshell, in his bid to ridicule Metsola, Agius Saliba ended up ridiculing himself, and his attempt to make it even more political by saying that he "didn't know" that Carmelo Saliba, a former Nationalist mayor, is a "cheeselets expert" also boomeranged. Usually, underneath a politician's post one mostly finds adulatory comments from supporters; on this occasion, and at the time we're writing this editorial, there were many people who lambasted Agius Saliba and told him to "grow up".

Ever since Metsola made a name for herself by being appointed EP President, the Labour Party and its exponents have done their best to minimise her role and find every fault with what she does.

The Agius Saliba comment is only the latest of the long list of occasions in which the PL, its officials and others with a Labour past have attempted to deride Metsola.

The gbejna's achievement was an opportunity for the whole of Malta and Gozo to be proud. Agius Saliba spoiled it.

But by doing so, he was the one who lost the most.