Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1234806
3 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 APRIL 2020 Mikiel Galea Letters & Clarifications WITH all due respect and full under- standing for the situation we are facing today, as well as the risks we shall be dealing with tomorrow, with all the aspects of contemporary life challenged, compromised and uncertain, I would like to express my reservations and grievances pertaining to my human dig- nity and livelihood, based on the regula- tions and legislation of EU, its founding principles and the violations thereof by Malta, as a fully-fledged member state. Everyone amongst us chooses their path in life and strives for a better and more secure future. So did I, following my ambitions and aspirations, choose this island where I expected a livelihood both superior and more secure, a place that I could call home away from home. It was not easy. I am not complaining; I am proud of all the situations I went through on my way, ever respectful to- wards others, laws and way of life of the land I arrived in. My solid upbringing and values guided me on this voyage and I daresay that I adapted well to this environment. I accepted the situation in which I found myself and with my sheer hard work, dedication and utmost com- mitment I did my best to earn my place under the 'European sun'. Employment license and subsequent extensions served as evidence of being on the right path. I saw the end of this path on 18 March, where I found my employment terminated, along with many before and after me, in the light of COVID-19 pan- demic. Helpless to change anything at all, I was awaiting a temporary solution... and it finally arrived. Namely, we, the lesser beings who were not fortunate enough to have been born in a member state, we, who believed to be, and strived to become a part of this system founded on respect towards human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, respect towards human rights and free of discrimination, we, the others, from 'third countries' or non-EU nation- als were left out, exempted from legally enforced emergency benefits package in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic. If we were good employees, qualified or otherwise to satisfy the needs of the labour market, if we fulfilled the condi- tions for employment license (the ex- penses thereof in 95% cases paid out of our own pockets), thereby having quali- fied as tax payers, contributors in terms of social and health insurance contrib- utors to participate with equal rights as guaranteed by Directives 2000/43/ EC and 2000/78/EC, pertaining to EU labour law, why are we now expelled from this system and exempted from aid provided by it? Is this a part of the motto 'united in diversity'? After the announcement that there are no financial aid benefits for TCNs who lost their jobs and the statement that they would instead be granted assis- tance in seeking new employment, a new application procedure was introduced whereby it is clearly stated that a new application fee has to be paid… At this moment, when we are jobless, with all the expenses, even the most basic ones such as rent and food, few are the people capable of putting aside a sum necessary for this application. This does not point to the fact that we are in need of social welfare assistance, it simply should be construed that exempting us from this expense may help us survive until this first salary payable upon this change of employer. We are respectfully asking you to help us preserve this modicum of human dignity and recognition of being human ourselves, by exempting us from this expense, once you have stripped us of this right to legally approved financial aid package. Please allow employment license prospects in this situation to sub- mit the new application free of charge. This gesture, while not substantial from your point of view, would really make a difference to us. Nikola Ivkovic Via email WITH reference to the article "Posterity fund lost money on IIP fund invest- ments" (5 April 2020), the Central Bank of Malta would like to clarify that the portion of funds reported to have lost value in 2018 were not invested directly by the Central Bank of Malta. In agree- ment with the National Development Social Fund, the investment manage- ment of these funds was outsourced to an internationally recognised global asset manager. Roxanne Cristiano, Central Bank Malta Disrespect to foreign workers Posterity fund