Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/234240
7 2013 in review maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 DECEMBER 2013 o theatre Joseph Muscat with President of the European Council Herman von Rompuy Muscat's hawkish approach to migrant arrivals stoked the ire of local human rights groups like Integra when the Prime Minister threatened to push back migrants to Libya in July But he may well end up being judged by the unrealistic expectations he himself raised when he gave the impression that he would accept no solution except compulsory burden sharing. Surprisingly, the same PM who contemplated the pushbacks found himself pushing a brand new citizenship scheme, which effectively creates a new class of rich migrants who immediately qualify for citizenship without even having any sort of bond to the country. Retrograde or progressive? In stark contrast to his liberal overtones and going in the opposite – and retrograde – direction, Muscat's government has not only re-opened the spring hunting season, but it also waived the €50 spring hunting license. Birdlife not only described this year's hunting season as being worse than last year's, but also went on to describe the Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Welfare, Roderick Galdes, as the "hunting secretary". The escalation of illegalities – some of which involved FKNK members – prompted the government to deploy the army in the final days of the season in a clear indication that the situation had got out of control. But despite these problems, the government also proceeded to increase hunting hours during the autumn season permitting hunters to shoot birds till 7pm. Moreover, Muscat also finds himself at odds with the vocal environmentalist movements on land use and planning issues. Not only are controversial plans like land reclamation, scrapped by the previous administration, back on the agenda, but a number of policies envision more development in Outside Development Zones. Even riskier is the government's pandering to the construction industry, which seems to suggest that Muscat hopes to kick-start the economy by giving a new lease on life to the embattled construction sector. As in its hunting spiel, the government hopes to balance out its free-for-all policies by hinting at harsher enforcement on ODZ. But what's the use of greater enforcement when what was previously illegal in ODZ will become legal? Squaring the circle So far Muscat's major success has been his ability to retain the tax cuts foreseen in the last PN budget without introducing any new taxes or cutting expenditure, while reiterating his commitment to cut utility bills by 25% by next March. In so doing, Muscat has so far been able to evade the harsh choices facing other governments between cutting public spending or increasing taxes. Instead he has shown a remarkable ability to think out of the box by resorting to neoliberal, albeit dubious solutions like selling citizenship and privatising the energy supply. But the award of the contract to a consortium involving the German multinational Siemens, Azeri government-owned Socar, British-African company Gasol, and the Tumas and Gasan groups, has raised suspicion that the energy deal was cooked well before general elections. In an interview with the London-based International Oil Daily, Gasol chief executive Alex Buxton acknowledged that: "The success of the project relied on the recent landslide victory of the Labour Party, which came to power in March." The government's energy plans include the partial privatisation of Enemalta by selling part of the debtridden company to a Chinese government-owned company. While the government's energy plans may well kickstart the economy as people's disposable income is set to increase after the reduction in bills, it may well result in the ceding of the country's energy sovereignty to foreign companies, some of which owned by for- eign governments. Moreover, shifting political allegiances in the Caucasus, where authoritarian Russia is seeking new allies like Azerbaijan in the face of EU overtures to countries like Armenia, may have a bearing on Malta's foreign policy. Joseph Muscat may be making a trade-off between short-term economic gains in the next five years, and the long-term national interest, which will depend on what happens in the subsequent 13 years, when Malta will rely exclusively on the ElectroGas con- sortium for the supply of gas to both the partially-privatised Enemalta and the new, privately-owned gas plant. In its first nine months, Labour made two significant changes to its energy plan, reducing the promised power-purchase agreement from 10 to five years and dropping the promise not to privatise Enemalta. The new project also envisions development of an offshore floating terminal, which would be located on a ship berthed at Delimara, instead of a land-based one as foreseen in pre- election plans. Good governance down a bridge? While Muscat prided himself on establishing good governance, his credentials on this front received a resounding blow after MaltaToday revealed that the World Bank had blacklisted China Communications Construction Company, the Chinese company conducting a feasibility study on the proposed Gozo Bridge. CONTINUES ON PAGE 8 COURT NOTICE The Registrar of Civil Courts and Tribunals informs that the Civil Court, First Hall ordered the following sales by auction: Date Place Items Judicial Sale No. and time 8 January, 2014 TG Complex, Flat 2, Eleven (11) units in Vilhena Funds Sicav plc Vilhena Malta Fund Distribution Shares. 23/13 Level 3, Brewery Street, Mrie�el Two thousand three hundred and sixty six (2366) units in La Vallette Monthly Income Fund Distribution. 13 January, 2014 13/13 – 10:00am Stefan Store, Triq i�-�in�el, Qormi Cupboards, top cupboards and corner cupboards, sinks with taps, several tables of different shapes and size, table extensions, slicer machine, grills, fridges, freezer, fridge cupboard, pasta machines, microwave, pots, convection oven, tray holder, hoods, mixer, trays, dishes, electronic weigh, mincer, pasta boiler, hot plates, fryer, heated cabinet, utensils, trolleys, frying pans, pans, several bowls, dishwashers, fan, shelf, hot dishes, several plates of different shapes and size, cups, LCD, reception desk, chairs, standing lamp, vase shaped glass ornaments, palm trees, olive trees, pots with plants, banana tree, garden chairs, umbrella bases, ice machine, ice buckets, printer for food ordering, fire blankets, tissue dispensers, spoons, different types of forks, different types of knives. 22 January, 2014 25/13 – 11:00am 149, Strait Street, Valletta Piano, Grand father clock, three seater sofa and armchair, sewing machine with cabinet, two (2) brass blow lamps. 29 January, 2014 22/13 – 11:00am Flat 2, Maltese Court, Triq Mons. Anton Cilia, �ebbu� Television, furniture pieces, frames and various other objects. 29 January, 2014 27/13 – 12:00pm 31, Triq Manoel de Vilhena G�ira Vehicle of the making Punto, metallic dark grey in colour, with registration number HAT-021. Further details can be obtained from the website: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/JudicialSales/search.aspx The bidders taking part in the auction must present their identity card. Bruno !ahra For the Registrar Civil Courts and Tribunals