Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/501315
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 26 APRIL 2015 10 News JOSEPH Muscat's conversion from hawkish rhetoric on immigration to a more humanitarian stance may well have been the consequence of a change of heart on the part of our Italian neighbours after the loss of 400 lives off Lampedusa in October, 2013. It was this tragedy which led to the launch of the Mare Nostrum search and rescue operation and to Italy's unofficial decision to take up the migrants it rescues from the sea, even when Malta is the closest port of call. Moreover, unlike Lawrence Gonzi, who faced a hawkish Italian right wing government whose home af- fairs Minister was Roberto Maroni of the anti immigrant Lega Nord, Muscat has found more reasonable interlocutors in Enrico Letta and Matteo Renzi. Ironically, back in April, 2011 Mus- cat had praised Maroni for standing up for his country's national interest by refusing entry in Lampedusa to a boatload of migrants saved by the Maltese. Now, four years later, Muscat finds himself attacked by Lega Nord lead- er Matteo Salvini for "pushing back" to Italy migrants who he claimed should be taken by Malta. Moreover, unlike Lawrence Gonzi, who was constantly criticised by Muscat in opposition for not doing enough for Malta's national interest, on this issue Muscat now finds the support of the Nationalist opposi- tion. Muscat's alignment with the Eu- ropean Socialists who advocate more humane solutions to the im- migration problem, may have also contributed to Muscat's change of heart, which started on the eve of the MEP elections last year. With arrivals at an all time low and the PN cooperating with him on this issue, Muscat is better placed to enact a national integration policy, an area completely neglected by the previous administration. Muscat's defunct action plan It was a deliberate choice on Mus- cat's part to turn migration into the main issue of the MEP elections held in June, 2009. Just three months before his first electoral test as PL leader, Muscat sent shockwaves by presenting a hawkish plan to parliament which vaguely hinted at Malta suspend- ing its "international obligations" if numbers of migrants were to reach a critical point. He even suggested putting the plan to a referendum and let the people decide. The government, he said, should establish the number of migrants, which Malta could host in a suitable and sustainable manner. "And if the international community did not act and the number of arrivals con- tinued to exceed what Malta could handle, Malta should not exclude the suspension of its international obligations," he had said. Muscat insisted that this "did not mean allowing people to drown, but helping them and then seeing them on their way". "One could not allow people in, out of respect for international norms, only to put them in facilities which were not even fit for dogs," he said. Moreover, Muscat also showed a poor understanding of international law, insisting that "the first point of legality was that one should enter a country legally", ignoring the fact that people who are brought in Mal- ta after being rescued in the middle of the sea are not breaking any law. One interesting point in Muscat's 2009 speech is that tolerance suc- ceeds only when numbers are within manageable limits. This may be one of the reasons why Muscat dished his hawkish stance after 2013 when Italy started taking most of the mi- grants rescued at sea. This may suggest that Muscat's concern on migration is based on popular ap- prehension on numbers rather than on xenophobia or racism. In fact Muscat did refer to the need of an integration policy which was completely absent at that time; saying that "migrants should be giv- en education and training, including community living, English, and re- spect to authority". But Muscat did not resist the temptation to pander to deeply rooted prejudice in his landmark 2009 speech, claiming that in Birze- bbugia migrants placed stones in the middle of the road and people's cars were damaged, that in Marsa residents saw migrants relieve all their natural needs in the middle of the road and that in Safi and Kirkop residents locked their doors when- ever they heard a helicopter flying low, because they would know that migrants would have escaped, and some were found on people's roofs. Another running theme in Mus- cat's plan was firmness with the EU by suggesting that when the sustain- able number of migrants who could be accommodated was exceeded, Malta should use its veto where una- nimity was needed in the EU. What needed to be changed, first and foremost according to Muscat, was the rule whereby the EU coun- try which first received the migrants, remained responsible for them. The rule still exists but Muscat in gov- ernment has still not used the veto, preferring diplomacy to threats. In Maroni's shadow The Gonzi administration con- ducted its diplomacy on migration in the shadow of the hawkish Ber- lusconi government in Italy, which included the Lega Nord, an anti im- migrant right wing party. Both the Nationalist government and the La- bour opposition supported a contro- versial Italian policy of turning back to Libya illegal migrants found on the high seas in the Mediterranean. The policy was later found to breach fundamental human rights. Although Malta never adopted a similar policy, a day after Italy re- patriated the first group of migrants; Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mif- sud Bonnici had come out support- ing Italy's agreement with Libya. Speaking during a debate at the European Parliament in 2010 on the incidents in the Mediterranean involving illegal immigrants, Dr Bu- suttil said the Italian policy was giv- ing results. "Although it was understandable to ask questions on Italy's policy of returning migrants to Libya, it is in- disputable that, as a result of these returns, the number of arrivals this year was down on last year and so were the number of tragic deaths," he told MEPs. On his part Muscat went as far as supporting the Italian government's stance even when this clashed di- rectly with Maltese interests. Muscat praised Italy for defend- ing its national interest by block- ing a boat's entry into Lampedusa on April 7, 2011 and he said Malta should do likewise. Clarifying his statements a few days later, Muscat said defending the national interest did not mean allowing people to drown. As soon as Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi admitted that his government had committed a mis- take by not allowing the migrants to disembark in Lampedusa, Muscat called on Gonzi to send the migrants to Italy. To this, then prime minister Gonzi replied: "How can one go onto a child or a man and tell them, 'I saved you from death, now tonight I'm going to pack you up, put you in a plane and send you to Italy'?" Muscat remained dismissive of Gonzi's approach to the migration problem. He accused Gonzi of "senseless talking" who has brought nothing to Malta: "Instead of defending the national interest, he sits at EU meet- ings like a sheep and thanks those who give him charity." The pushback pledge It was during quick-fire yes/no round of The Times' leaders' debate in the final days of the 2013 electoral campaign, that Muscat expressed his agreement with intercepting asylum seekers at sea and returning them to Libya if that country was considered "safe". JAMES DEBONO looks at the evolution of Joseph Muscat, from a demagogue who toyed with pushbacks and hawkish talk from the Opposition, to a statesman who chides Europe for its inhumanity 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). 21st May, 2015 68/14 - 10.30am EGL Apartment unnamed and without official number internally marked with number one (1) 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$izzjoni, Cospicua.The appartment is valued at one hundred and twenty thousand Euros (#120,000) Apartment unnamed and without official number internally marked with number two (2) found on the first floor of the block unofficially named 'Cottonera Flats' overlaying a common entrance in the ground floor in a block of six appartments and a penthouse without name and official number in Triq Wi!i Rosato, Bormla. The appartment is accesible from the mentioned street,free and uncumbered and includes one sixth (1/6) undivided part of the roof and common washroom, and one seventh (1/7) of the common parts which include the entrance,the stairs to the roof,the lift and its shaft and the drainage system.The block is built on the site previously occupied by three tenements numbered twenty five (25),twenty seven (27) and twenty eight (28) in Triq il-Kun$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 €195.000 Muscat's transformation: From Joseph Muscat with the Irish Taoiseach, Enda Kenny