Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1519535
2 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 APRIL 2024 2 MATTHEW AGIUS magius@mediatoday.com.mt MATTHEW VELLA mvella@mediatoday.com.mt AN official for the far-right Im- perium Europa could not resist presenting Adolf Hitler, the Ger- man dictator responsible for the genocide of over 6 million Jews across Europe, in a favourable light as a totalitarian reformer propelled to power by the eco- nomic ravages of the 1930s. Charles Sammut, a long-time acolyte of IE founder Norman Lowell – an apologist for Hitler who in the past has also denied the events of the Holocaust – linked his party's policy to re- verse declining birth rates, with Hitler's 1930s policies. "They ask Lowell about why he supports Hitler… but let's be honest, Hitler came to pow- er in 1933 at the height of the economic depression, finding a country in tatters. He gave mar- ried families subsidies… govern- ment loans for the married, with debt cut off for each child that was born, in a bid to address de- mographic issues," Sammut said on TVM's Xtra. "We have the lowest European birth-rate, perhaps in the world. Is that something desirable? We need measures that go beyond children's allowance," Sammut said. Sammut was talking about the decline of Maltese employees in working-class occupations such as the collection of garbage or construction, which today have been taken up by non-EU na- tionals. "Our aims are to pre- serve Maltese culture, tradition, and the country's demograph- ic. Certainly nobody is content with today's situation – today le- gal migration to Malta is taking place at a far higher volume than illegal migration in the past," he said. The discussion on Xtra, never strayed too far from the subject of IE's adulation of Adolf Hitler, with presenter Saviour Balzan saying that the far-right par- ty, accorded time on the public broadcaster by the Broadcasting Authority, could not avoid being asked about their Nazi sympa- thies. "Hitler is the worst form of human being possible… and yet you are here praising him." Sammut said Hitler's good deeds "had been copied by oth- ers", referring to economic sup- port for married families. Balzan asked Sammut how such minor reforms could be propped up against the evil of the Nazi genocide of Jews, and other victims of the WWII eth- nic cleansing campaign by Hit- ler. "Both sides erred," Sammut said. "Both sides committed war crimes. The genocide was car- ried out by both sides. The Al- lies and the Axis Forces. You are always trying to accuse Norman Lowell about whether he agrees with Hitler's policies. It's not a yes-or-no answer." Far-right Imperium Europa official: 'Hitler did some good things' Suspended sentence for man who assaulted his elderly mother while on drugs Imperium Europa official brushes off Nazi Holocaust and praises Adolf Hitler's policies to reverse declining birth rate Charles Sammut, Imperium Europa candidate A 46-year-old man from Lija expressed remorse in court for having assaulted his 80-year-old mother while un- der the effects of drugs. The police arraigned the man, whose name is subject to a court-imposed publica- tion ban, before magistrate Monica Vella on charges of having repeatedly used phys- ical or psychological violence to isolate his mother, intimi- dating, insulting and harass- ing her. He was also charged with having caused unjustified physical or mental suffering to the elderly woman and putting her health in jeopardy and slightly injuring her in February this year. Prosecuting police inspector Sherona Buhagiar, told the court that the man's parents were afraid of him and did not want him inside their house. She added that the man had spent the past months since the assault at Mount Car- mel Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for drug dependency. He was arraigned as soon as his psy- chiatrist certified him as fit to plead. The prosecution requested treatment and restraining or- ders. Asked what he wished to plead to the charges, the de- fendant admitted his guilt, telling the court that he had a lot of remorse for raising a hand to his mother. The court handed the man a two-year prison sentence which was suspended for four years, while also imposing a treatment order to address his drug dependency. A re- straining order in favour of the man's parents was also issued. Lawyer Ingrid Zammit Young assisted the defendant as legal aid counsel. Lawyer Edward Gatt represented the man's parents.