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maltatoday SUNDAY 14 JANUARY 2018 4 News AROUND 31,000 Maltese citizens live in the United Kingdom, while around 1,000 students from Malta are following courses at British universities. Many of these are able to work and study there as a result of the EU's free movement of per- sons principle. Theresa May has tried to reassure the UK's 3.2 million EU citizens that they will be able to remain in the country and apply for 'settled status'. We spoke to a few Maltese in the UK to gauge how they felt about Brexit, which is currently sched- uled for March 29, 2019. Tragic reality Edward Fenech and his wife moved to the UK with their two children in 2008 – both hold pro- fessional jobs, and their children attend university. Fenech refers to Brexit as 'a tragic reality' brought on by former Prime Minister David Cameron's 'naïve' decision to hold an EU member- ship referendum. Although EU citizens can ap- ply for 'settled status' from 2018, which he and his family would be doing, he said that in reality no- body really knows if this would bring with it the same security they could enjoy before Brexit. "I am, however, pleased that the EU has played very hard when deal- ing with the rights of EU citizens in the UK. In some ways I think little will change for people who already live here, but I am concerned about the restrictions on the opportuni- ties of other people who would like to come here," he explained. Fenech said that, ideally, all his family would be able to continue living and working in Britain and he hoped that their current rights, including being able to vote, would remain untouched. However, if things turned sour, they could al- ways live in Malta or the other 26 EU member states. "The British would only have the Republic of Ireland to move to af- ter Brexit, so who's the real loser?" he asked. The UK would be diminished fol- lowing its EU departure and would incur significant economic damage which would have its worst affects on the working classes in the in- dustrial north, who ironically vot- ed heavily to leave, he maintained. Saddened not to be living in the EU Nikki Abela, a doctor in emer- gency medicine and pediatric emergency medicine, who has lived in Liverpool for six years, re- flected Fenech's sentiments, telling us that she was saddened she'd no longer be living in a EU country. "I don't think the UK will benefit from Brexit in terms of stability, however, there were a lot of UK citizens who did not identify with the EU, and I understand that this was behind their reason to leave," she said. Since she has been in the UK with her family for over five years and works in a sector which is in high- demand, she felt she would still be secure being in the UK. However, EU citizens in the UK currently benefit from a stream- lined system and less paperwork, and it remains to be seen how this will evolve once negotiations pro- gress, she said. "Brexit has created a feeling, among EU citizens, of being 'not- wanted'. Those who voted to leave made it seem like they can pick and choose whom they want here," she remarked. She hopes that Malta's Common- wealth ties will mean the UK will remain an attractive country for the Maltese. "It is up to our politicians to wave the Commonwealth flag and put on the table the strong ties between our two countries to en- sure the security, not only of Mal- tese in the UK, but also of the Brit- ish citizens settled in Malta and all the tourism and commerce that goes on between the countries," she asserted. Until the negotiations have brought a clearer idea of how Brexit will impact EU citizens, she doesn't feel she can consider the option of leaving, quipping that "if the infamous British weather hasn't driven us away yet, I doubt Brexit will." My future is secure A young Maltese professional working in London's luxury goods sector for the past three and a half years, who preferred to remain anonymous, told us that she wasn't sure if those who voted to leave fully understood the repercussions. "I believe, however, that my fu- ture here is secure. I think anyone already living in the UK will have less to worry about, as opposed to those who might try to move here later," she said. Mirroring other comments, she said that the UK would be less ap- pealing to live in, especially because major businesses might think twice before remaining in the country or setting up there, which would im- pact the opportunities available. She does not feel that attitudes towards EU citizens have changed much, noting however that the sit- uation in smaller cities and towns might be different to that in Lon- don. Worried about benefits Charlene Borg, who attended col- lege and university in the UK and is now working there full-time, by virtue of her rights as an EU citi- zen, told us that while she hopes such rights will loosely remain the same, she is not completely confi- dent about this. "I am worried whether my ac- cess to the UK's National Health Service will remain the same, and whether I will still be able to enjoy certain benefits if I fall ill or be- come pregnant," she said. "More reassurance is needed for EU citizens. Nothing is set in stone yet, and the home office commu- nications have been vague some- times." Borg said that Brexit made the UK look less attractive, and she couldn't help but feel that she is not wanted in the country. Despite this, the UK had now become her home, with her family and her partner all living there, and she would rather not move back to Malta. "My partner is British, and all my immediate family have British citi- zenship or enjoy dual nationality – I am the only one who is only a Maltese citizen." "Theresa May said we would be able to gain 'settled status', against payment. If it would make life eas- ier, I would consider applying for British citizenship, although this is quite expensive," she said. Stumbling blocks for the UK We spoke with a Maltese woman – who has lived in the UK for the last 14 years, but also preferred to remain unnamed – who told us that while she doesn't completely agree with Brexit in principle, she fully understands the reason why a majority voted to leave. She maintained that the EU had been creating various stumbling blocks and using blackmail tac- tics to hinder Brexit. Giving an alternative view to the UK's exit, she said that leaving would not make the country any less attrac- tive, and that there was room for expansion and development once it happened. "Understandably, things are go- ing to be a bit rough for the first few years. But the British are resil- ient, innovative and inventive and will 're-group' after all this boils over," she opinionated. The woman, who is married to a British citizen, told us that she applied for British citizenship when the referendum had been an- nounced, and her dual nationality now grants her all the security she previously enjoyed as an EU citizen. She said that she never experi- enced anything untoward in terms of British attitudes towards EU citi- zens in their country. However, she acknowledged that some British workers, especially those in lower-skilled jobs, were resentful about the number of EU workers taking their jobs. "We moved to Cornwall just for that reason, as the Midlands and Greater London areas have such a great influx of workers that oppor- tunities are limited for the locals," she added. It is apparent, at least from those we spoke to, that Maltese living in the UK are generally opposed to Brexit and somewhat uncertain if their existing situation and rights will remain unchanged. However, it seems that there is also some understanding of the rea- sons why Britons decided to leave the EU, even though this might not have been the best way forward. mcosta@mediatoday.com.mt MASSIMO COSTA Source: user 'Bearas'/Wikipedia Commons Brexit: the Maltese experience Edward Fenech Nikki Abela Charlene Borg