MORE CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATIONS – Italy continuing to rock the EU boat – or is the EU vessel scuttlin
The European Union is undergoing its worst crisis since Brexit with more cracks and fissures appearing by the minute, and this time it is the Italians who are rocking the boat by their actions and their words.
Disenchantment had already been steadily growing well before Brexit with newly-joined Eastern European countries making it clear they will proceed as suits them and not as suits the dictum from Brussels. This I go a long way to understand. Since the end of World War II countries like Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary fell under the Soviet yoke from Moscow and had to strongly follow Kremlin orders.
Having put that terrible phase behind them, they are unlikely to take orders from Brussels as a change in Masters. Countries like The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are much smaller, have little or no clout (like Malta) and are more compliant because they have no alternative choice.
As a background to all this the immigration crisis was always boiling on the horizon and created a sharp division between the generally affluent countries in the north and the struggling Mediterranean countries in the south who felt they were being left abandoned to their fate because immigration “is their problem and not ours and they have to deal with it”.
Greece continued to rock the boat by bankrupting themselves while Italy and Spain were perceived to be heading down the same path. As if all these were not enough, the Brexit bombshell followed with Brussels putting on a bluff face that said “no problem – who needs Great Britain anyway?”
So, the jolly old pals club of European fraternity continued on its path in Brussels with all the usual clichés of “one for all and all for one” and “united we stand, divided we fall”.
However, that is beginning to wear very thin now as the immigration crisis has continued to escalate in the wake of a new Italian Government which seems determined not to be bullied further by the Brussels dictum.
My only issue in this latter manner is that while Italy resents being Brussels-bullied they are having no reservations about bullying Malta – as if that is going to resolve all their immigration and financial problems!
Otherwise, my full sympathies lie with the Italian Government and with the Italians – for a number of reasons.
The EU has jawed-jawed a lot about the immigration issue but has done nothing at all to tackle the task. For a while the problem veered towards the eastern Mediterranean, mainly because of the Syrian crisis, but now the central route has again become Libya-Malta-Italy with NGO boats offering a complimentary hand to the Libyan Mafia immigrant traffickers and dumping their loads at the nearest port of call – oblivious of the burdens they are placing on the unwelcoming hosts!
Europe licked the late Colonel Gaddaffi’s bootstraps because of his oil supplies and money. Yet, now, when he is no longer, it seems compliant to let Libya as it is, a criminal country run by criminal Mafia, money-making gangs which are the source of virtually all immigration evils.
In response, the EU has done little or nothing and only started some peripheral action after some of the Mediterranean countries put their foot down firmly.
Above all, I ask one very pertinent question – if a European Union with a European Parliament is willing to name a Hall in the EU Parliament dedicated to the late Caruana Galizia, and even more so after the Egrant Inquiry Report – what kind of organisation is the EU?
However, as long as Malta continues milking the udders of the EU cow for urgently needed funds – then so be it.
Make hay while the sun shines!
ALBERT JEROME FENECH
