Malta takes the lead

Twelve years since Malta took the monumental step of signing onto the grand project known as the European Union, the country that battled through a referendum and a following general election to seal the deal with its electorate takes the lead of bloc today.

Today is a historic day any which way one looks at it. Whenever a country assumes the Presidency of the EU, it is always marked as a red-letter day. But today’s new year sees a country with a population of just under 450,000 taking the helm of a bloc of 500 million people.

In his traditional New Year’s message released last night, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat says of Malta’s Presidency: “We will keep our feet on the ground and acknowledge our limitations, we must rise to the occasion and make our Presidency a success. A success for all of Europe that faces many challenges ahead, but also a success for our country, which will show that the size of a country is not an obstacle, but rather can be an advantage.”

Malta will be tasked with dealing with the coming Brexit, the ever-growing threat and reality of terrorism, a union that is threatening to split at the seams on the heels of Brexit, the election of Donald Trump in the US, and the rise of far right parties across the bloc.

Addressing this uncertainty that has taken hold across Europe, Dr Muscat said Malta will seek to bring Europe back together, through a project that he dubbed a ‘Reunion’.

He said, “We must create a sense of unity in Europe. Over the coming six months, we will begin a project to unite Europe, which we are calling a ‘reunion’. We will work on a humble and honest European level agenda, and put forward priorities that will make a difference to the everyday lives of every EU citizen.”

The fact that the EU’s smallest country is now, as of today and for the next six months, in a position to formulate EU policy and guide the bloc through what is undoubtedly one of its most treacherous passes is no small matter.

It will also be tasked with dealing with the ever-growing migration phenomenon, one which has never been more significant than it has been over the last year, where Malta will no longer only be concerned with the Mediterranean dimension but, rather, the phenomenon as it affects all corners of the bloc.

This will truly be a test of Malta’s mettle, and of this government’s art of diplomacy.

Malta will now finally have a real chance to instil the concept of burden sharing that it has been denied for so many years. It will also be able to provide a voice for the smaller EU states which, like Malta, has long suffered the brunt of the EU’s one-size-fits-all approach.

Will Malta’s EU Presidency over the next six months see the tail wagging the dog? We certainly hope so. Malta has a real chance to make a real difference over the next six months, not only for itself but also for the whole of the bloc, particularly through Dr Muscat’s ‘Reunion’ concept.

We wish the government every success in its endeavours to do just that, and we also urge the rest of the country to follow suit.