Waqt dibattitu fil-Parlament Ewropew dwar is-sigurtà tal-provvista tal-prodotti essenzjali, l-Ewroparlamentari Daniel Attard enfasizza kif pajjiżi gżejjer bħal Malta qed iġorru piż sproporzjonat minħabba r-realtajiet ġeografiċi tagħhom, filwaqt li appella lill-Unjoni Ewropea biex tqis aħjar iċ-ċirkostanzi differenti tal-Istati Membri.
Fl-intervent tiegħu, Attard spjega l-ispejjeż dejjem jiżdiedu tat-trasport marittimu li fuqhom tiddependi kompletament Malta biex timporta prodotti essenzjali.
“Għalina llum il-ġurnata kull vjaġġ ta’ trailer bejn Malta u Genoa – 700 mil nawtiku, l-ekwivalenti għal vjaġġ bit-triq bejn Brussell u Madrid – illum qed jiswina 740 dollaru aktar. 40 fil-mija aktar u agħar minn hekk għalina 60 fil-mija tat-trailers li jitilqu minn pajjiżna jitilqu vojta minħabba l-iżbilanċ fil-kummerċ.”
Attard sostna li dawn ir-realtajiet joħolqu piż sproporzjonat fuq pajjiżi gżejjer u periferiċi.
“U allura aħna qed niġu penalizzati minħabba l-qagħda u n-natura ġeografika ta’ pajjiżna.”
L-Ewroparlamentari spjega li għal Malta u Għawdex, is-sigurtà tal-provvista mhijiex kwistjoni teoretika iżda realtà li taffettwa direttament il-ħajja ta’ kuljum taċ-ċittadini.
“Hu tajjeb ħafna li llum qed niddiskutu s-sigurtà tal-provvista tal-prodotti essenzjali. Lilna l-Maltin u l-Għawdxin tolqotna fil-laħam il-ħaj. Għalina sempliċi maltempata tħallielna l-ixkafef tas-supermarkets vojta, aħseb u ara x’tagħmel gwerra.”
Huwa żied li ħafna drabi d-diskussjonijiet Ewropej jiġu indirizzati minn perspettiva kontinentali li mhux dejjem tirrifletti r-realtajiet tal-gżejjer.
“Għaliex kultant hawnhekk bil-moħħ ta’ Ewropa kontinentali ninsew li Malta u Għawdex, gżira fi gżira, m’għandniex alternattivi, m’għandniex ferroviji. Aħna niddependu mill-baħar biex nimportaw dak kollu li nikkunsmaw biex ngħixu.”
Attard temm billi appella għal approċċ Ewropew aktar ġust li jqis ir-realtajiet differenti ta’ kull pajjiż.
“Jekk irridu nittieħdu bis-serjetà fuq is-sigurtà tal-provvista ejja nieqfu npoġġu lil kulħadd fl-istess keffa. Irridu Ewropa li tqis lil kulħadd indaqs. M’għandna xejn inqas minn pajjiżi akbar minna però rridu Ewropa li tirrikonoxxi r-realtajiet differenti ta’ kull pajjiż.”
We cannot continue to bear a disproportionate burden simply because we are an island
During a European Parliament debate on the security of supply of essential goods, Maltese MEP Daniel Attard highlighted the disproportionate challenges faced by island states such as Malta as a result of their geographic realities, while calling on the European Union to take greater account of the differing circumstances of its Member States.
In his intervention, Attard drew attention to the rising cost of maritime transport, on which Malta depends entirely for the importation of essential goods.
“Today, every trailer journey between Malta and Genoa – a distance of 700 nautical miles, equivalent to a road trip between Brussels and Madrid – is costing us an additional $740. That represents a 40% increase in costs. To make matters worse, 60% of the trailers leaving Malta return empty because of the structural trade imbalance we face.”
Attard argued that these realities place a disproportionate burden on island and peripheral regions.
“As a result, we are being penalised because of our country’s geographical position and characteristics.”
The MEP stressed that, for Malta and Gozo, security of supply is not an abstract policy discussion but a matter that directly affects citizens’ daily lives.
“It is right that we are discussing the security of supply of essential goods today. For Maltese and Gozitan citizens, this issue hits close to home. A single storm can leave supermarket shelves empty; one can only imagine the impact of a war.”
He added that European debates are often approached from a continental perspective that does not always reflect the realities faced by island states.
“Too often, we look at these issues through the lens of continental Europe and forget that Malta and Gozo – an island within an island – have no alternatives. We have no railways. We depend on the sea to import everything we consume in order to live.”
Attard concluded by calling for a fairer European approach that recognises the different realities faced by each Member State.
“If we are serious about security of supply, we must stop treating everyone as if they face the same circumstances. We need a Europe that treats all Member States fairly. We are no less important than larger countries, but we need a Europe that recognises the different realities faced by each nation.”