State intervention a must for Gozo

State intervention is paramount to ensure that Gozo prides itself as a European and a national destination and to further improve its connectivity with Malta and the European continent, former Prime Minister and Maltese MEP Alfred Sant told a packed audience in Gozo. The Maltese MEP emphasised that state intervention compensates for Gozo’s double insularity challenges because the private sector by itself cannot finance large scale projects the island needs to keep up with developments in Malta.

Dr Sant said three large projects should be identified for Gozo in the coming years. He spoke about the importance of identifying a location for a yacht marina, the strengthening of a digital policy, more space for artisan activities and the creation of specific agricultural products in Gozo.

“More should be done to market Gozo as a destination. I believe that Gozitans should be directly involved in decision making and that the same decisions agreed by the Gozitans should be then implemented by the central government in Malta.”

Dr Sant said that the divergencies between North and Southern Europe have increased during the past ten years. Gozo, like other islands and regions in the periphery of Europe, is being effected negatively by the EU policy which does not permit state aid. This policy is detrimental for EU small islands.

“State aid in small islands like Gozo and Malta does not affect the European market. I will continue to insist in the European Parliament that the State should intervene to help companies like AIRMALTA and Gozo Channel. And I will continue to cooperate with other MEPs representing EU islands to forward proposals for the benefit of islands like Gozo.”

Dr Sant said that Malta has learned how to absorb EU funds and compares favourably with larger EU states some of which might be losing up to 30% of EU funds. Malta still has to learn its share from the European Budget (2020-2027) and then it depends on the approved projects to identify Gozo’s share from the European Budget.

“Unfortunately Gozo is not considered as a region by the EU. The Nationalist Party had taken Gozitans for a ride when it promised them that with EU membership Gozo will be treated like a region,” remarked the Maltese MEP.

Maltese Version – GĦAWDEX JEĦTIEĠ L-GĦAJNUNA TAL-ISTAT

Għawdex jeħtieġ l-intervent u l-għajnuna tal-istat biex jissaħħaħ bħala destinazzjoni Ewropea u bħala destinazzjoni nazzjonali u jkompli jtejjeb il-konnettivita` tiegħu ma’ Malta u mal-kontinent Ewropew. Dan qalu Alfred Sant quddiem udjenza numeruża f’Konferenza dwar is-sehem ta’ Għawdex mill-Budget Ewropew tal-2020-2027 fil-Lukanda Ta’ Ċenċ, Għawdex. Alfred Sant enfasizza li l-intervent tal-istat huwa meħtieġ biex jikkumpensa għall-insularita` doppja li jsofri minnha Għawdex peress li s-settur privat u s-suq ħieles waħdu ma jistgħux jiffinanzjaw proġetti kbar li għandu bżonn Għawdex biex ilaħħaq mal-iżvilupp f’Malta.

Dr Sant qal li għandhom ikunu indikati tliet proġetti kbar għal Għawdex għas-snin li ġejjin. Huwa saħaq dwar l-importanza li jkun identifikat post f’Għawdex għal Yacht Marina, it-tisħiħ tal-politika diġitali, aktar spazju għal attivitajiet artiġjanali u l-ħolqien ta’ prodotti speċifiċi agrikoli f’Għawdex.

“Hemm bżonn isir aktar biex Għawdex ikun ‘marketed’ bħala destinazzjoni kemm f’Malta u fi swieq barranin. Jiena nemmen li l-Għawdxin għandhom ikunu involuti direttament fid-deċiżjonijiet dwar Għawdex biex l-istess deċiżjonijiet ikunu implimentati mill-Gvern ċentrali ta’ Malta.”

Dr Sant qal li d-diverġenzi bejn in-nord tal-Ewropea u s-sud żdiedu fl-aħħar għaxar snin. Għawdex, bħal gżejjer u reġjuni periferali oħra fl-UE, huwa affettwat negattivament mill-politika tal-UE li ma tippermittix għajnuna tal-istat. Din il-politika hija ta’ detriment għal gżejjer żgħar tal-UE.

“L-għajnuna tal-Istat fi gżejjer żgħar bħal Għawdex u Malta ma taffettwax is-suq Ewropew.
Se nkompli ninsisti fil-Parlament Ewropew li l-Istat għandu jintervjeni biex jgħin kumpaniji bħal AIRMALTA u Gozo Channel li huma importanti għall-konnettivita` bejn iż-żewġ gżejjer u mal-kontinent Ewropew. L-Unjoni Ewropea ma taqbilx ma’ dil-linja, iżda se nkompli naħdem ma’ MEPs minn gżejjer tal-UE biex noħorġu b’aktar proposti favur gżejjer bħal Għawdex.”

Dr Sant qal li Malta tgħallmet kif tasssorbixxi l-fondi tal-UE u tikkompara tajjeb ma’ stati membri tal-UE li wħud minnhom jitilfu sa 30% tal-fondi tal-UE. Malta trid tara x’se jkun is-sehem tagħha mill-Budget Ewropew tal-2020-2027 u mbagħad jiddependi liema proġetti jkunu approvati biex ikun magħruf x’se jkun is-sehem ta’ Għawdex.

“Għawdex mhux ikkunsidrat bħala reġjun mill-UE minħabba ċ-ċokon tiegħu. Il-PN kien daħak bl-Għawdxin meta kien qal li Għawdex se jkun stmat bħala reġjun mill-UE.” saħaq Alfred Sant.