Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/501315
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 26 APRIL 2015 11 News On his part Lawrence Gonzi an- swered "no" when asked if he fa- voured a pushback policy. One may well suspect that Muscat was well aware that when elected to government his hawkish approach would have to give way to a more statesmanlike stance. But just three months after being elected Muscat gave the impression that he was still the same hawkish politician, who had been elected on the basis of a migration plan which included commitments to put pres- sure on the EU by using the veto and to "suspend international obliga- tions" if numbers were unsustain- able. In reaction to remarks made by Home Affairs Commissioner Ce- cilia Malmstrom, a Swede, that the migration numbers Malta is facing are not extraordinary, Dr Muscat said: "If she thinks the figures are not alarming, she can propose to the Swedish government to take mi- grants". Just days later the European Court of Human Rights had to issue an in- terim order to block a government pushback of 45 migrants after NGOs filed a prohibitory application. On that occasion the Prime Minis- ter announced that he had held talks with the Libyan government, and that all arrangements for a pushback had been finalised. "In the meantime we have learnt of an application to the European Court of Human Rights by NGOs, to stop a decision that the Maltese government had not taken yet." Muscat said his decision to finalise preparations for a pushback was a sign that his government had "stood up to be counted". "I carry this responsibility myself... but so must those who stop this gov- ernment from securing the national interest," Muscat said, in an obvious reference to the NGOs' application to the ECHR. Muscat justified his hawkish stance as a way of making Europe "smell the coffee". In August Muscat continued test- ing the waters, refusing entry to 102 migrants rescued by the MV Salamis a Liberian flagged oil tanker. Af- ter three days of bickering on who should accept the migrants saved by the tanker's captain, the Italians fi- nally accepted responsibility for the migrants. "Malta's position during this crisis was always strong, consistent and legitimate. Through this position, Malta sent a strong message," Mus- cat said in a statement. Ironically Muscat's hard line stance on the Salamis also earned him the praise of the Lega Nord in Italy. Italy's change of heart But what really led to Malta be- ing relieved of the pressure of con- tinuous boat arrivals was the Italian reaction to a tragedy at sea that led to over 400 refugees from Syria and Palestine losing their lives in the Lampedusa shipwreck. Unlike previous right wing gov- ernments, the Italian government under Prime Ministers Enrico Letta and now Matteo Renzi, was no long- er engaged in bickering with their Maltese counterparts over who is responsible for saving lives at sea in the Mediterranean. "The Italian coast guard has been ordered by the Italian government to intervene and collect any boat people that even the Maltese au- thorities are technically obliged to intervene and collect," a senior gov- ernment official told MaltaToday in August 2014. Operation Mare Nostrum, launched after the Lampedusa trag- edy, included the use of amphibi- ous ships, unmanned drones and long-range helicopters with infrared equipment, with six navy ships, each with crews of between 80 to 250 men. The highly successful rescue op- erations had seen some 80,000 mi- grants arrive in Italy in 2014 and practically no boats in Malta. Yet despite the drop in arrivals the Maltese army remained pro-active in saving lives in the Mediterranean. In the meantime Muscat seems to have realised that celebrating Mal- ta's heroic role in saving migrant life earns Malta more respect as a nation and more legitimacy to our demands than calling on others to "smell the coffee" and threatening pushbacks. In this sense Muscat has become much more like his predecessor Lawrence Gonzi, who also celebrat- ed Malta's role in saving lives. But unlike Gonzi, Muscat can afford to do this without even having to worry about the arrivals of boats in Malta. From Mare Nostrum to Triton Although operation Mare Nos- trum was terminated by the end of 2014 and replaced by a downscaled EU operation called Triton, Malta has still not seen any boat arrivals this year. Triton, the European Commis- sion's new operation to 'manage migration' in the Central Mediterra- nean under the control of the Fron- tex agency, began on November 1, 2014. When announcing Triton on 7 Oc- tober, Commissioner Malmstrom confirmed that the operation was "tailored to the needs and requests of Italian authorities" and its objec- tive is to reinforce border surveil- lance and support Mare Nostrum's humanitarian efforts. But a week lat- er, Minister Alfano gave notice that Mare Nostrum would shut down as from 1 November. This meant that a mission to res- cue migrants at sea had been re- placed by one whose stated primary objective was that of protecting the borders. Not surprisingly, the abandon- ment of an operation meant to avoid tragedies such as the loss of 400 lives off Lampedusa in 2013, and its re- placement with an operation whose primary aim is not that of saving lives, has contributed to the latest tragedy which resulted in the loss of 900 lives. On Thursday EU leaders agreed to treble the budget for operation Tri- ton but they have not extended the area covered by Triton to include all the areas previously covered by Mare Nostrum. In the past, countries like Britain were hostile to Mare Nos- trum, blaming it for attracting more migrants into Europe. Instead, EU leaders, Muscat and Renzi included, seem to be more interested in an operation directed against the criminal ring of people smugglers in an attempt to decrease the number of boats making the dangerous crossings. In fact by prioritising military ac- tion against smuggler rings they could be responding to an increas- ingly xenophobic public opinion which is more interested in stopping migrants from crossing over from Libya than in saving them. Moreover by incorrectly compar- ing the trafficking of migrants with the slave trade of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Renzi is ignoring the reality that that un- like slaves who were transported to America against their will, migrants actually want to escape to Europe and traffickers are unscrupulously exploiting this need. Born again Muscat? Still despite the ambiguity of the solutions concocted with his Ital- ian counterpart Muscat has earned greater respect for the country by celebrating its role in search and rescue operations while denouncing Europe's indifference. Europe faces an appointment with history: "If Europe, if the glo- bal community, continues to turn a blind eye... we will all be judged in the same way that history has judged Europe when it turned a blind eye to the genocide of this century and last century," he said on Sunday. Muscat has also used the latest tragedy to change latent xenophobia and racism in his own party. On Sunday Muscat sent a powerful message to his party's grassroots by hugging a child of African origin. Surely enough, Muscat has to keep reckoning with his own past. He was the one who gave legitimacy to the word "pushback" when a group of migrants was chosen to be deported to Libya. Moreover from now on, the word pushback will be used against him by the far-right. But he has one advantage. The Maltese are not a cruel nation. When faced with tragedies like those hap- pening in the Mediterranean, their instinct tells them that we should not let people drown. So calling for pushbacks in these circumstances is fast losing legitimacy. But Muscat's rhetoric will be se- verely tested by how far he will go in advocating solutions aimed at sav- ing the life of migrants during dis- cussions in Brussels. For while Muscat was ready to consider using the veto when Malta had a problem with boat arrivals, it remains to be seen how far Muscat will go to make Europe awake from its slumber, now that Malta is only receiving bodies of dead migrants. COURT NOTICE The Registrar, Civil Courts and Tribunals notifies that the First Hall of the Civil Court ordered the sale by Judicial Auction of the following property to be held in the corridors of the Courts of Justice, Republic Street, Valletta. Date and Time Judicial Sale No Property 5th May, 2015 10/15 - 10.30am EM Appartment numbered fifteen (15) in a block of apartments named 'Sapphire Court' in Triq San Fran!isk, San Pawl il- Ba"ar valued at one hundred and sixteen thousand Euros (#116,000). Garage unumbered underlaying a block of apartments numbered forty three (43) in Triq Ramon Perellos, San Pawl il- Ba"ar valued at one hundred twelve thousand Euros ( #112,000). These properties are presently occupied and rented to third parties. 5th May, 205 6/13 - 11.00am EGL Apartment number one (1), in a block of apartments built instead of tenement number sixty two (62), Triq San Luqa, St. Paul's Bay subject to annual and perpetual ground rent of sixteen cents and four mils euro (# 0.16,4) as well as pro rata share of the common parts of the block valued at forty-five thousand euro (# 45,000). Apartment number three (3) in a block of apartments built instead of tenement number sixty two (62), Triq San Luqa, St. Paul's Bay subject to annual and perpetual ground rent of sixteen cents and four mils euro (# 0.16,4) as well as pro rata share of the common parts of the block valued at seventy thousand euro (# 70,000). 5th May, 2015 113/12 - 12.00pm EGL Maisonette with no official number named 'Dar il-Palma' situated at elevated ground floor in Triq Vin$enzo Ciappara, Mellie"a corner with Triq il- Lu", Mellie"a, free and unencumbered, with all its rights and appurtenances valued at one hundred and five thousand Euro (#105,000). Garage with no number and name, accessible from Triq Triq Vin$enzo Ciappara, Mellie"a, underlying the maisonette with no official number named 'Dar il-Palma' subject to annual and perpetual ground rent of six Euro and ninety nine cents (#6.99) subject to the active and passive servitues resulting from its position valued at fifty eight Euro (#58,000). 7th May, 2015 94/13 - 11.00am EGL The temporary utili dominju for the remaining period of two hundred years (200) that commenced from the twenty first (21) of February of year one thousand nine hundred and sixty (1960) of tenement sive penthouse internally marked eighteen (18) forming part of a block externally numbered fourteen (14) letter 'A' (14A) and named 'Boylan Buildings' in Triq G"ar il-Lembi, Sliema, subject to annual and perpetual ground rent of forty six Euro and fifty nine cents (#46.59) otherwise free and unencumbered, valued at three hundred and sixty thousand Euro (#360,000). and a penthouse without name and official number in Triq Wi!i Rosato, Bormla. The appartment is accesible from the mentioned street,free and uncumbered and includes one sixth (1/6) undivided part of the roof and common washroom, and one seventh (1/7) of the common parts which include the entrance,the stairs to the roof,the lift and its shaft and the drainage system.The block is built on the site previously occupied by three tenements numbered twenty five(25),twenty seven(27) and twenty eight (28) in Triq il-Kun$izzjoni, Cospicua.The appartment is valued at one hundred and twenty thousand Euros (#120,000) Apartment unnamed and without official number internally marked with number two (2) found on the first floor of the block unofficially named 'Cottonera Flats' overlaying a common entrance in the ground floor in a block of six appartments and a penthouse without name and official number in Triq Wi!i Rosato, Bormla. The appartment is accesible from the mentioned street,free and uncumbered and includes one sixth (1/6) undivided part of the roof and common washroom, and one seventh (1/7) of the common parts which include the entrance,the stairs to the roof,the lift and its shaft and the drainage system.The block is built on the site previously occupied by three tenements numbered twenty five (25),twenty seven (27) and twenty eight (28) in Triq il-Kun$izzjoni, Cospicua.The appartment is valued at one hundred and forty thousand Euros (#140,000) The Block and the apartments are bordered from the West with Triq Wigi Rosato, the East with Triq il- Kun$izzjoni and from the South with property of third parties or other boundaries. The block is built on the site formerly occupied by three tenements numbered twenty five (25), twenty seven (27) and twenty eight (28) in Triq il-Kun$izzjoni, Bormla 21st May, 2015 2/14 - 11.00am PP Apartment internally marked number eight (8) overlayed by apartment number ten (10) and underlayed by apartment number six (6) in a block named 'Highclere Court', in Triq Raddet ir-Roti, ix- Xemxija, Limits of St. Pauls Bay. The tenement is on the second floor on the right of the block when one looks to the block from the mentioned street, part of a block of ten apartments including an undivided share of the block common parts,the outside door,the entrance and the stairs to the roof,drains and drainage system and an undivide share of the roof. The apartment is subject to servitudes resulting from its relative position with all rights and appurtenances,subject to an annual ground rent of eight one euros and fifty two cents (#81.52), valued at one hundred ninety six thousand, five hundred and eighteen euros( #196,518). 21st May, 2015 49/11 - 11.30am PP Maisonette numbered one hundred and thirty- eight (138), in Parades Street, St. Paul's Bay, including its roof and relative airspace and with all its appurtenances, free and unencumbered valued at one hundred and twenty five thousand euro (#125,000). 21st May, 2015 15/13 - 12.00pm JGL The appartament internally marked number five (5), formally part a block number five (5) unnamed, in Triq il-Pitkali, Marsa subject to annual and perpetual of fifty eight Euro cents (#0.58) valued at thirty thousand Euro (#30,000); The tenement number one hundred and fifty three (153), in Triq Santa Marija, Tarxien subject to servitudes of light from adjacent property including airspace valued at ninety thousand Euro (#90,000). First floor tenement number eight (8), in Triq l- Iskola, Marsa underlying third party property subject to ground rent of three Euro and eighty seven Euro cents (#3.87) valued at twenty five thousand and five hundred Euro (#25,500). 26th May, 2015 75/14 - 10.30am PP Shop named 'Honey Corner 2', in Triq il- Qaliet, Marsascala with a surface of one hundred and eight square metres (108m 2 ) directly accessible from pavement level. The shop has a length of eighteen point six metres (18.6m), a width of four point three metres (4.3m) on the front and six point four metres (6.4m) at the back. The shop has a facade of four point five metres (4.5m) with a glass aperture of three metres (3m). The property is valued at one hundred and eighty five thousand Euros(# 185,000). 28th May, 2015 8/14 - 10.30am JGL The tenement named "The Wilderness", before known as "Havana Club", in Triq ta' Pinu, also known as Triq l- G"arb, today named Triq Papa &wanni Pawlu t- tieni, limits of G"arb, Gozo, on two floors, subject to an annual and perpetual ground rent and sub ground of ninety Euros and Eighty Five cents (#90.85). This tenement underlays property named "il- Mina Restaurant" and restaurant without number named "il- Mina Restaurant" in Triq ta' Pinu, also known as Triq l- G"arb, today named Triq Papa &wanni Pawlu t- tieni, limits of G"arb, Gozo, subject to an annual and perpetual ground rent of thirty four Euros and ninety five cents (#34.95). This tenement overlays the property named "The Wilderness". The properties are free and unencumbered valued at one million, four hundred and fifty euro (# 1,450,000) 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. Rudolph Marmara' For the Registrar of Civil Courts and Tribunals From demagogue to statesman [March 2009] Muscat presents migration plan which foresees "suspension of international obligations" if migrant numbers surpass threshold, and veto if the EU does not budge June 2009 First European outing for Muscat, Labour wins MEP elections with 55% April 2011 Muscat praises Italian home affairs minister Roberto Maroni for protecting his country's national interest by refusing entry in Lampedusa to a boatload of migrants saved by Malta, insisting that Malta should do likewise February 2013 During quick-fire yes/no round of The Times's leaders' debate, Muscat agreed with intercepting asylum seekers at sea and returning them to Libya if that country was considered "safe" March 2013 Muscat elected Prime Minister July 2013 Muscat threatens use of EU veto: "If [Cecilia Malmström] thinks the figures are not alarming, she can propose to the Swedish government to take the migrants" July 2013 The European Court of Human Rights issues interim order to block a pushback of 45 migrants from Malta after NGOs filed a prohibitory application. Muscat insists he wanted "Europe to smell the coffee" August 2013 Malta refuses entry to 102 migrants rescued by the M/V Salamis. Italy accepts responsibility for the migrants after three days of bickering with Malta March 2014 On Freedom Day, Muscat speaks against the detention of minors 18 April 2015 900 lose their lives in migrant tragedy 26 April 2015 While celebrating local council elections victory, Muscat hugs a black African boy, calling on supporters to show solidarity with "black" people 20 April, 2015 Muscat meets Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, calling on EU to take action against people smugglers 21 April, 2015 Muscat clashes in television programme PortPorta with Lega Nord leader Matteo Salvini who criticised Muscat for "pushing migrants to Italy" October 2013 Tragedy off Lampedusa leads to Operazione Mare Nostrum. Italy starts taking responsibility for the lives at sea, even of those that fall under the Maltese government's responsibility 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 May 2014 EU socialist leader Martin Schulz calls for legal channels for migrants while addressing Labour supporters in Malta • Labour wins MEP elections by 55% Muscat's positive turn Tracing the evolution of Joseph Muscat on migration