In its proposals for the European budgets covering 2028 - 2034, the European Commission has envisaged a substantial increase in EU expenditures. To account for this, it has referenced the priorities which member states have been insistently emphasizing, like European defence and the need to launch significant investment programmes targeted to enhance European economic competitivity. The Commission is correct to claim this much.
Immediately after the publication of the Commission's plans, the German government stated that in no way could it agree with them. For on the one hand, the Commission is pressurizing European governments to "consolidate" their national budgets by paring down on expenditures, while on the other hand, it is exploding upwards European outlays. And here, the German government is spot on.
Curiously, as Europe is moving towards this financial cul-de-sac, the rules by which the eurozone is governed get little to no mention. They allow (not to say encourage) member states to respect the zone's budgetary rules by cutting their investment commitments, while allowing them to sustain recurrent expenditures, mainly for electoral reaons.
Today, the European priority has shifted towards the implemention of productive, infrastructural and military investment. However can the political will, the means and the popular support be found for this priority to be achieved?
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TIME TO CHOOSE
Never did I feel comfortable commenting about the organizational choices of political parties I opposed or disagreed with. To understand the logic (even when one disagrees with it) of how internal matters evolve, one needs to be participating closely in the issues concerned. By contrast, when it comes to the political choices that "other" parties make, there should be no limit to the criticism that must be done across the board.
However I admit to failing completely to understand why in order to choose its next leader, the PN needs so much time. This has got nothing to do with the political decision about the choice of challengers: this has to be taken internally. But aren't so many weeks to organize an internal party election excessive? And at a time when the next general election is practically round the cornmer? One could understand that in the UK and perhaps Germany... a party must ensure that enough time is allocated to conduct a full consultation with the paid-up members. But for a small island like ours, is there need for such a long interval, while the party remains headless.
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RACISM IN MALTA
One can only hope that those who claim, even in good faith, that the Maltese in their majority are not racist, are right. The available evidence of what's happening in our country hardly backs this thesis. Like with the story about the pizza outlet which recently refused to allow couriers who deliver its pizzas to make use of their toilets. And other stories, some much uglier.
To be sure meanwhile, public authorities are doing their best to combat racism. As with the excellent Transport Malta publicity about Safety at Sea, which deserves full praise. However, one can only doubt whether all the well intentioned efforts of public and voluntary organizations, among which the Church's, are getting results.