Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545722
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 JULY 2026 NEWS US going to the dogs under Trump, vast majority believe THE Maltese are increas- ingly viewing the EU as a vital anchor of stability, contrasting sharply with deepening pessimism over the United States' trajectory under Donald Trump. This emerges from a Eurobarometer survey held in April and May, showing that a signifi- cant 73% of Maltese agree the EU is a place of stability in a troubled world. At the same time, a stagger- ing 78% of Maltese respondents believe the US is heading in the wrong direction. In contrast, on- ly 9% think the US is going in the right direction. Back in November 2025, 22% of Maltese respondents believed that, in general, things are go- ing in the right direction in the US and nearly half (48%) thought the US was head- ing in the wrong direction, while 30% were unable to express an opinion. This means that since Novem- ber the percentage of people who think the US is going in the wrong direction has increased by a remarkable 30 points, while those who think the US is going in the right direc- tion has de- creased by 13 points. Maltese citizens are slight- ly more critical of the path taken by the United States under Don- ald Trump than the average Euro- pean (76%). But the number who view the US positively is higher in the EU as a whole—4% com- pared to 9% in Malta. While Malta shares the prevailing European view that the US is on the wrong track, it remains significantly more critical than countries like Hungary where 46% of respond- ents think the US is going in the right direction. Hungary is the only EU coun- try where a relative majority view the US's direction in a positive light. None- theless, this per- ception still did not save Trump ally Viktor Orban from defeat in recent elections won by cen- tre-right leader Peter Magyar. Other coun- tries with a larger segment who think the US is moving in the right di- rection include Romania (37%), Croatia (25%) and the Czechia (24%). In contrast the perception that the US is going in the wrong direction is higher in a number of countries like Sweden (94%), Den- mark (94%) and the Netherlands (93%) Quality of Life: EU vs global powers When comparing the quality of life within the EU to that of oth- er major powers, Malta holds a higher-than-average preference for the European model over the American one. The survey shows that 68% of Maltese respondents believe the quality of life in the EU is better than in the United States, surpassing the EU27 average of 62%. Specifically, 33% of Maltese respondents believe life in the EU is "much better" than in the US. Only 20% of Maltese see the US quality of life as superior. The perception of China is more complex. While 62% of Maltese believe life is better in the EU than in China, this is lower than the EU27 average of 67% Furthermore, there is a high de- gree of uncertainty regarding Chi- na among the Maltese, with 14% stating they "don't know" how the two compare. The EU a 'safe haven' The most consistent sentiment among Maltese respondents is the perception of the EU as a "safe haven". A significant 73% of peo- ple in Malta agree that the EU is a place of stability in a troubled world This reflects a two-point in- crease since the October/Novem- ber 2025 survey While Malta's level of agreement is high, it is slightly below the EU27 average of 75%. Notably, the "safe haven" sen- timent has surged across the broader union, with the EU aver- age seeing an eight-point increase in agreement since late 2025—a much more rapid rise in confi- dence than that observed specifi- cally in Malta. The survey commissioned by the EU parliament was conducted be- tween 9 April and 4 May 2026 and included a wide range of questions on the future of Europe. Across all 27 Member States, 26,421 total interviews were con- ducted via face-to-face and video methods. The survey interviewed 500 Maltese. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Heritage watchdog opposes plans threatening Villa Degiorgio gardens THE heritage watchdog is warn- ing a proposed intervention at Vil- la Degiorgio in San Pawl tat-Tarġa would destroy the villa's historic gardens and diminish the proper- ty's heritage value. The Superintendence of Cultur- al Heritage (SCH) has formally objected to a planning control ap- plication (PC 25/24) concerning the neo-classical residence. In its assessment of the appli- cation relating to the redevelop- ment of the gardens surrounding the villa, the SCH said a recent site inspection confirmed the archi- tectural and historical significance of the residence. The visit also re- inforced concerns it had already raised in an earlier submission. The villa, described by the watchdog as a neo-classical resi- dence of "considerable architec- tural value", was originally built in the 1820s by Robert Peel, a British cotton merchant. It later became intertwined with Malta's colonial and post-independence history, serving as the residence of the British Commissioner and subsequently the British High Commissioner after being leased to the British government in the early 1960s. The current application forms part of a wider process that could pave the way for residential devel- opment on the villa's 8,900sq.m grounds. If approved the applica- tion would see the introduction of a cul-de-sac off Triq San Pawl to facilitate future housing devel- opment on the estate, which is already earmarked for low-densi- ty residential use under the local plan. However, no detailed res- idential plans have yet been sub- mitted. Following the site inspection, the SCH stressed that the gardens are not merely ancillary open spaces. "The site inspection has confirmed the architectural and historical value of the villa with the gardens considered as an inte- gral part of the villa," the superin- tendence said. According to the heritage au- thority, the proposal "would inev- itably lead to the loss of the garden with a subsequent negative impact on the values of the villa itself". It concluded that the "applica- tion is considered objectionable". The case is likely to rekindle de- bate on the extent to which devel- opment envisaged in local plans should proceed when it threatens the historic setting of landmark properties, particularly where ma- ture gardens and designed land- scapes form part of their cultural significance. The Planning Authority's Plan- ning Commission will ultimately decide whether to endorse the proposal despite the superintend- ence's objections. Reporting by James Debono US President Donald Trump The Villa Degiorgio in San Pawl tat-Targa