Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1507818
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 OPINION 3 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 SEPTEMBER 2023 Mikiel Galea Letters & Clarifications Lampedusa and the EU's double standards LAMPEDUSA has been inundated with immigrants departing from nearby Tunisia despite a supposed agreement reached between the EU and the country earlier this summer. The memorandum of understand- ing signed in July was supposed to see the EU invest millions of euros in Tunisia in return for better border controls in the country. However, it appears that none of the promised funds have yet been transferred to the north African state that is already grappling with its own economic and financial problems to even bother about controlling migra- tion. It appears the EU still has hang-ups about Tunisia's human rights record under the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Kais Saied. What irks me is that the EU had no hang-ups when it entered into a similar agreement with Turkey after the migration crisis of 2015. I cannot understand this double game. I some- how get this feeling that moral con- cerns are only raised when the im- migration crisis impacts the central Mediterranean region and frontline countries like Italy and Malta. Whereas the 2015 crisis had a direct impact on the countries of central Europe, including Germany, thus prompting a strong response by the EU bereft of moral hang-ups, this time around the brunt is being faced by Italy and suddenly the bloc gets cold feet. If Tunisia's human rights record is of concern then so should Turkey's. Unregulated migration for economic reasons has no place in the EU and lest the bloc does something to stem the flow it will push more Europeans to vote for far-right parties in next year's European election. The MOU with Tunisia should be actioned immediately and pressure put on the Tunisian government to get its act together and stem migrant departures from its shores. M. Mifsud Gżira Valletta Circle donates food vouchers to Naxxar parish VALLETTA Circle is one of six circles forming the Malta Catenian Association Province. Valletta Circle has donated funds for a number of years to various local chari- table organisations. Recently, Valletta Circle managed to donate €3,000 in food vouchers to the Naxxar Archpriest, Fr David Gauci, for the benefit of his needy parishion- ers. These funds were collected from among the Valletta Circle brothers and their spouses through fund raising events which had various generous sponsors from some circle members themselves. The amount achieved was then fur- ther enhanced by the kind sponsorship of Pama Supermarkets. The President of Valletta Circle, Mario J. Attard presented the donation in the presence of various Circle council members and Kevin Azzopardi from Pama. Archpriest Fr David Gauci thanked the Catenians for this generous do- nation and promised that all the food vouchers donated will go to the needi- est. Edwin R. Azzopardi for Catenian Association Good riddance THE strategy for Gozo published on Friday effectively puts a stop to the tunnel proposal. Good riddance to this project, which would have been a fi- nancial drain on the country and cause environmental destruction at Pwales and Nadur. The tunnel would have also changed Gozo forever, killing its charm and uniqueness. So, it is good that the project has been scrapped. Better sea ferry connections should be enough to ensure proper and efficient connectivity between Gozo and Malta. J. Farrugia Mellieħa