Il-populiżmu jibbaża ruħu fuq tifsira eżaġerata tar-realtà li minnha mbagħad jislet miżuri li jinħassu sempliċi u effettivi, imma li filfatt iħawdu l-bigħa, mhux iħolluha. Hekk smajt ħafna nies ta’ rieda tajba fuq ix-xellug (u biex inkun onest, ukoll fuq il-lemin) ifissru dal-fenomenu tal-populiżmu li qed jinkwieta bil-kbir.
Biss imbagħad l-istess nies jidhruli li qed jimxu bl-istess prattika li dwarha jikkundannaw lill-populisti, f’oqsma li għal raġuni jew oħra, jikkonċernawhom bil-kbir. Per eżemju fil-qasam tat-taxxi.
Issa hu minnu li kif żvelaw id-diversi skandli li skattaw fl-aħħar snin, hemm xmara ta’ fondi li jistgħu jiġu ntaxxati u li qed jiskansaw minn hekk. Imma li ssostni li dil-ħaġa qed tpoġġi l-aqwa xkiel għall-ġustizzja soċjali fl-Ewropa, jew xi ħaġa simili, mhuwiex kredibbli. Kif mhumiex kredibbli s-soluzzjonijiet “faċli” li qed jiġi proposti bl-akbar qawwa.
Hekk kif joqorbu l-elezzjonijiet għall-Parlament Ewropew, se jkomplu jiżdiedu l-ħidmiet ta’ dawk li fil-partiti Ewropej tradizzjonali ma jsibu l-ebda problema f’li jkunu populisti “tat-taxxi”.
PROPOSTI GĦAŻ-ŻONA EWRO
Il-“pakkett” ta’ proposti għal riformi taż-żona ewro, li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea ressqet il-ġimgħa li għaddiet, jagħti xhieda ta’ ħsieb fil-fond u ċerta riżerva. Il-proposti joffru bilanċ prudenti bejn dak li jista’ jsir, dak li għandu jsir u dak li jista’ jitħalla jsir.
M’hemmx għalfejn ngħidu wkoll, fejn issib ix-xoqqa f’moxtha, l-Kummissjoni tara kif se tiġbed għal xawwatha. Dan jinħass l-aktar fil-proposti dwar kif għandhom jiġu mfassla d-dmirijiet ta’ min jista’ jissejjaħ “il-ministru tal-finanzi” taż-żona ewro. B’mod jew ieħor f’din it-tifsila, il-Kummissjoni tispiċċa tirbaħ rwol aktar qawwi fit-tmexxija tal-ewro.
Nissuspetta li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea tant ħadmet il-proposti tagħha bil-għaqal, jew forsi aħjar, b’makakkerija… li aħjar wieħed jistenna ftit ieħor qabel jikkumenta wisq ħalli qabel, jifhem aħjar sa fejn il-Kummissjoni trid twassal il-mira tagħha.
PALESTINA
Id-deċiżjoni tal-President Trump li jiddikjara li se jirrikonoxxi Ġerusalemm bħala l-kapitali ta’ Iżrael hi waħda mill-aktar deċiżjonijiet irresponsabbli li qatt ittieħdu mit-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija lil hawn.
La tirrifletti l-ħtieġa ta’ riga morali fil-mod kif nevalwaw il-konflitt dwar il-Palestina u d-dmir tal-komunità internazzjonali li tħares l-interess tal-poplu Palestinjan. U lanqas, fil-fehma tiegħi u minkejja li qal Trump, mhi tqis b’serjetà xinhu l-interess Amerikan.
Il-poplu Palestinjan jixraqlu kull appoġġ fl-isforzi li għandhom jibqgħu jsiru għal soluzzjoni tal-konflitt dwar il-Palestina li jissejjes fuq il-kunċett ta’ żewġ stati ugwali u ħielsa.
Dwar dan, l-appoġġ tal-Ewropa, u ta’ Malta, għandu jibqa’ sod.
L-interess Amerikan jitlob li l-Istati Uniti jibqgħu ħbieb tal-Palestinjani, tad-dinja Għarbija u tal-komunità Iżlamika mad-dinja kollha.
English Version – Tax populism
Populism starts out with an exagerrated interpretation of reality from which it then extracts proposals that sound simple and effective, while actually ending up complicating rather than solving issues. It’s in this way that I heard many people of goodwill on the left (and to be honest, also on the right) explain the populist phenomenon which has been worrying many.
However, then it seems to me that some of the same people are following similar practices to those for which they condemn populists, when they face issues which for one reason or another, matter a lot in their view. Take for instance, the field of taxation.
Now, it is true that as revealed by a number of scandals that became salient in recent years, payment of tax dues is being circumvented over big pools of funds. But to claim that this is totally undermining social justice in Europe, or something of that order, is not credible. That also applies to the quick fix solutions that are being proposed with great urgency.
As elections to the European Parliament approach, there will be an increase in initiatives undertaken by people in the traditional European parties who have no problem to function like tax populists.
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Eurozone proposals
The “packet” of proposals for reform of the eurozone that the European Commission laid out last week, clearly follows from a deep reflection coupled to a certain sense of prudence. For the proposals amount to a delicate balance between what can be achieved, what should be done and what will be allowed to happen.
One hardly needs to also note how, as soon as an opportunity arises, the Commission acts fast in an effort to gain turf. This is mostly felt in the proposals that describe how to format the duties of the so-called eurozone finance minister. No matter how one looks at it, the Commission’s proposal on this matter would hand it a stronger role in the management of eurozone affairs.
Really, I suspect that the European Commission has dosed its proposals with so much forethought, or should I say cunning… that it might be a good idea to wait a bit more before launching into definitive comments about them. First one needs arrive at a good understanding concerning the real targets that the Commission is aiming for.
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Palestine
President Trump’s declaration that the US will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is one of the most irresponsible decisions that have been taken since the end of World War II.
In no way does it reflect the need to adhere to some moral compass when evaluating the Palestinian conflict and the duty of the international community to respect the rights of the Palestinian people. In my view and despite what Trump himself has said, neither does it seriously take into account the interests of the US.
The Palestinian people deserve every support they can be given in the efforts that must go on to reach a solution to the Palestinian conflict, one that can only be built on the concept of two equal and free states.
It is a commitment about which Europe (and Malta) must not waver.
American interests require that the US remains a friend of the Palestinian people, of the Arab world, and of the Islamic community worldwide.
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