Il-“ftehim” milħuq bejn il-mexxejja taż-żona ewro u l-Greċja jixraqlu kelma waħda: brodu. Ekonomikament u finanzjarjament ma jistax ireġi: il-kriżi tal-Greċja se terġa’ tqum anki jekk il-ftehim jimxi fuq ir-rubini.

Il-kundizzjonijiet imposti fuq il-Greċja huma tali li se jrenduha stat bla sovranità tagħha. Minflok tonqos kif wiegħed il-gvern tas-Siriża, l-awsterità se tiżdied. Patafjun ta’ “riformi” iridu jiddaħħlu minn amministrazzjoni publika fil-Greċja li mhix kapaċi tasal.

L-aqwa li l-istati tal-ewro jibqgħu jżommu s-self li għaddew lill-Greċja bħala wieħed ħaj, u mhux flus li nħarqu. U li l-kanċellier Merkel tkun tista’ tikkonvinċi lid-deputati fil-Bundestag li baqgħet soda fid-difiża tal-interessi Ġermaniżi.

Sadattant il-piżijiet il-kbar se jibqgħu jinġarru l-aktar mill-poplu “żgħir” Grieg.

Fl-aħħar xhur, il-gvern tas-Siriża għamel żbalji enormi fil-mod kif mexxa n-negozjati mal-gvernijiet tal-ewro. Imma l-agħar żball spiċċaw għamluh huma meta ġagħluh jaqbel mal-ħniżrijiet li qed jimponu fuq il-Greċja.

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Turiżmu fil-Mediterran

Mhix ħaġa sabiħa; biss hi fattur li jiddetermina l-andament tat-turiżmu f’pajjiżna. Bħalma ilu s-snin jiġri, id-deni ta’ ħaddieħor jissarraf f’vantaġġ mhux mistenni jew mitlub għalina.

Wara l-attakki terroristiċi fit-Tuniżija, ħafna Ewropej qed jikkanċellaw il-vaganzi li kellhom jieħdu hemm. Il-qagħda fl-Eġittu baqgħet tnaffar lil oħrajn milli jżuru dak il-pajjiż manjifiku. U l-istess it-twegħir diplomatiku u finanzjarju fil-Greċja: turisti li kienu qed jitħajru jżuru, bdew jibżgħu li jispiċċaw bla flus jew mingħajr mediċini li setgħu jeħtieġu waqt il-btala.

Uħud minnhom ikunu bidlu d-destinazzjoni għal Malta; hekk kien jiġri meta l-eks-Jugoslavja kienet iddiżintegrat fi gwerer ċivili qerrieda.

Irridu noqogħdu b’seba’ għajnejn biex nifhmu x’parti mit-tisħiħ fl-andament turistiku ġejja minn dal-fattur; u x’parti minnu seħħet għax il-prodott li qed noffru lil min jiġi fostna tjieb tassew.

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Camillo Sceberras

Minkejja l-għajnuna ta’ ħbieb, domt biex insib kopja; ilu li spiċċa mingħand il-librara. Il-ktieb inħareġ fis-sena 1991 u dak iż-żmien qabiżli. “Camillo Sceberras” ta’ R. Farrugia Randon jittratta dwar il-ħajja, iż-żminijiet u l-familja ta’ dan il-patrijott Malti tas-seklu dsatax li baqa’ pjuttost minsi.

L-awtur jiżvela għadd kbir ta’ fatti dwar il-ħidma u l-fehmiet ta’ Sceberras. Ma joqgħodx lura milli jiddiskuti kemm id-dgħufijiet u kemm il-merti tiegħu. Sceberras għex fi żmien li dwaru ħafna minna ftit li xejn nafu. Sceberras jintwera bħala raġel kuraġġuż fost numru ta’ Maltin, minsija wkoll daqsu, li kienu midħla sew ta’ ideat progressivi Ewropej, kemm fil-politika u kemm fl-iżvilupp ekonomiku.

Anki jekk għal dan biss, “Camillo Sceberras” jistħoqqlu li jerġa’ jiġi mitbugħ.

English Version – Disastrous

There’s only word by which to describe the “agreement” between euro zone leaders and Greece: disastrous. It cannot hold economically or financially; the Greek crisis will come back to centre stage even if the agreement is implemented according to plan.

The conditions imposed on Greece will turn it into a state that is no longer sovereign. Instead of decreasing (as the Siriza government promised it would) austerity will become tougher. Meanwhile, a whole range of “reforms” is due to be launched by a Greek public administration that is unable to deliver.

The crucial goal was that euro states could continue to show loans extended to Greece as still “bankable” and not money down the drain. Another important point was that chancellor Merkel could convince German MPs in the Bundestag that she had stoutly defended German interests.

Meanwhile, the big burdens will continue to be borne mostly by “ordinary” Greeks.

In past months, the Siriza administration committed enormous mistakes in the ways by which it conducted negotiations with euro governments. But at the end of the day, the latter are responsible for the worst mistake made, namely that of compelling the Greek government to accept the disgusting conditions imposedon Greece.

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Tourism in the Med

It’s bad when it happens. However it’s another factor that shapes tourism performance inthis country. As has been the case over the years, somebody else’s woes get translated into benefits for us that we neither expected nor called for.

Following the terrorist attacks in Tunisia, many Europeans cancelled the holidays they were due to spend there. The situation in Egypt continues to deter others from visiting that magnificent country. Ditto for the diplomatic and financial troubles in Greece: tourists who had been likely to visit, began worryng they might end up short of cash or medicines while on holiday.

Some must have switched to a Malta destination. When former Yugoslavia disintegrated, that’s what happened.

We need to understand correctly what part of the current revival in tourism performance is due to this factor, and what is accounted for by a real improvement in the product that we have on offer

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Camillo Sciberras

Even with the help of friends, it took me a while to sight a copy, since it had long been out of stock in bookstores. The book was published in 1991 and I didn’t notice then. “Camillo Sceberras” by R Farrugia Randon covers the life, times and family of this Maltese patriot, now rather forgotten, who lived in the nineteenth century.

The author lists a wide stream of facts regarding Sceberras’ activities and opinions. He finds it easy to discuss both his flaws and virtues. Sceberras lived in a period about which we do not know enough. He is portrayed as a brave manin the company of other Maltese, equally forgotten, who were quite familiar with the European progressive ideas of those days in the fields of politics and economic development.

Even if it’s only for this, “Camillo Sceberras” deserves a second edition.

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