Italian ambassador PAOLO ANDREA TRABALZA is adamant that Italy is a champion of human rights, despite having forcefully repatriated migrants in distress at sea back into Libya – but as he notes, he is just the ambassador and it should be the politicians to handle the controversy
“Anyway you do things, the media will find something to criticise,” says Italy’s ambassador to Malta Paolo Andrea Trabalza, who accepted an interview in the wake of the most recent Malta-Italy dispute and the controversial forced repatriation to Libya of 227 would-be asylum seekers.
Earlier this week, the two countries were involved in a spat over each other’s rescue obligations in Malta’s vast search and rescue area. But the game play suddenly shifted later this week when Italy decided to repatriate two boatfuls of migrants back to Libya, denying them the right to claim asylum in a move that humanitarian NGOs called illegal and inhumane. The Maltese government, which first expressed disgust at Italy’s attempt to offload migrants saved next to Lampedusa on the island of Malta, now called the repatriation move “positive”, believing it will serve to contain trafficking rings.
“Italy and Malta are two satisfied countries at this landmark agreement reached with Libya to accept the migrants back,” he says while brushing away the fact that Libya is not a signatory to the Geneva Convention for Human Rights.
“I am not here to respond about Libya and the Geneva Convention. The truth is that Italy and Malta are two nations who have been left to their fate and face the growing phenomenon of illegal migration.”
But what are the details on the agreement reached with Italy? “Ah well, that is something the Viminale (Home Affairs Ministry) must let you know about. I am an ambassador, I represent the Italian State in Malta,” he replies, leaving little to the imagination.
Sitting in his office overlooking the Grand Harbour from the spectacular Floriana bastions, ambassador Paolo Trabalza fidgets with a number of local newspaper cuttings, some of which have highlighted paragraphs. Saviour Balzan’s opinion, published in last Sunday’s MaltaToday is the one with most markings.
“I would like to reply to this gentleman,” he insists, and I assure him that we will get to that stage, but only after we settle the important issues.
Let’s keep to the issue of forced repatriation to Libya: UNHCR and other humanitarian organisations, like Médecines sans Frontières and also the Vatican have questioned the legality of Italy’s actions.
“Italy has acted according to what it needs to do in terms of its own security, and I believe that that is a right. Italy is a democratic country, and is also a prominent member of the United Nations, a founder of the EU and member of NATO, Council of Europe, and OSCE.
“We know what human rights are, and we champion the ideals through our Constitution. Do not come and accuse Italy now of repatriating the migrants when for the first time ever, we are halting the migration flow from the source before they actually reach territorial waters or home soil.
“Italy, as well as Malta, have been left alone by Europe to face the influx and carry the burden of non-stop rescues and keeping them on their respective territories. With great efforts, both countries have been trying to persuade Europe to understand this enormous problem, but unfortunately it all falls on deaf ears.
“Now, thanks to the determination of Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni, Italy has managed to secure a highly strategic deal with Libya and start joint patrols off Libya as from the 15th of this month. We are confronting the problem at source, and Libya is willing to cooperate on this in a bid to save the lives of hundreds of migrants who attempt to make the dangerous crossing to Europe.”
I interrupt the ambassador here to point out that the problem also lays with Libya, which is not a Geneva signatory and whose infamous treatment of African migrants is well documented.
“Look, in whatever way you put it, someone, somewhere is always wrong. You just cannot get it right. If we let the migrants in, then it’s the government’s fault and public opinion turns against you for not doing enough, and now because we seem to have found a solution, we get criticised. I can guarantee you, that stopping the Libyan migrant route will shortly open up yet another route, perhaps from Tunisia, Morocco or somewhere else. Spain repatriates migrants, and nobody raises his voice, so why is it a bad thing for Italy to repatriate?” ambassador Trabalza asks.
Perhaps it’s because this time the migrants were strategically stopped before reaching shore, and nobody saw to their rights as asylum seekers? I ask…
“You insist that we are in the wrong and our actions are controversial, but the Italian government as well as the Maltese government agree that this is a landmark achievement.”
But how does the ambassador see the sudden change of attitude between the governments of Italy and Malta, who surprisingly lowered their swords and changed tones as soon as the migrants were repatriated to Italy?
“You must understand that Malta and Italy enjoy very good relations….”
Do you really think that? Many within the Maltese government say that Roberto Maroni’s recent actions has destroyed almost 60 years of strong ties between the two countries…
“Oh come on,” he laughs. “This is politics… accusations fly, just like in any family argument…”
But this was no family argument. Here we are talking about two neighbouring Mediterranean states, and most of all, European Union member states.
“I repeat, they are heated arguments, which unfortunately lead to a media-frenzy who continue to stir up the fight with the traditional ‘botta e risposta’. It’s inevitable…”
While I point out that the media reports what politicians say and repeats the same language used, ambassador Trabalza looks back at his newspaper cuttings and finds the headline quoting Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi expressing his “disgust” at Italy’s alleged intransigence to rescue migrants at sea.
But the Prime Minister expressed disgust. Maroni coloured his comments and was specifically insulting to the Maltese people, I point out.
“It was a war of words. Nothing was specific, none intended,” he says, while I ask what about the famous ‘Dossier’ sent to the European Commission accusing Malta of all sorts.
“That dossier was compiled by the Home Affairs Ministry in Rome. It was presented to the European Commission, and is solely intended for internal discussion in Brussels.”
So who is Roberto Maroni? Why such a bully? Is he like this with small countries like San Marino, the Vatican, Leichtenstein, Monaco?
“Maroni a bully? Absolutely not. He is the Home Affairs Minister and his job is to guarantee security in Italy,”
Well not to be directly specific, don’t you consider blockading Lampedusa with two patrol boats to prevent a Maltese patrol boat from entering and disembarking migrants a bully tactic or gunboat diplomacy?
“It was a situation where Maroni was just doing his job as Home Affairs Minister. Italy has its security concerns and he takes his decisions as necessary.” He replies.
Didn’t you notice though that during this Italy-Malta saga, Minister Maroni was left all alone by the rest of his colleagues within the Berlusconi Cabinet? It seems that he was disowned…
“That is untrue, Minister Maroni has the full backing of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and even if he didn’t, the fact is that in Italy, each Minister is autonomous. It is not like in Malta where the Prime Minister has the discretion of sacking his ministers. Each minister is the governor of his own sector, he decides and acts autonomously and does not need to be dependent on the Prime Minister or other members of Cabinet to take decisions.”
Let’s talk about the tiny island of Lampedusa. It seems that it is no longer a safe port? Does this mean no tourists and yachts this year?
“Oh no. It is not a safe port to accommodate and render suitable medical services to hundreds of migrants who land there. The infrastructure on this picturesque island is limited, and it is not the ideal place to land them.”
But hundreds have already landed and been transferred to mainland Italy as was the normal practice for the last years…
“True, but the government has changed that, and it was a decision in the best national interest. Lampedusa is an island that cannot be considered a safe port, there is no argument.”
Even the Lampeduseans have heavily criticised Roberto Maroni for closing the doors to migrants, in fact they even demonstrated aside by the migrants…
“Politics will always be politics. Let politicians handle that controversy. I am an ambassador and my responsibility is to take care of enriching the strong ties between Italy and Malta.”
Fair enough – so I ask the ambassador about Italy’s insistence for Malta to reduce its search and rescue area, pointing out that I believe this is the core of the problem between Malta and Italy, and this migrant controversy is linked to it.
“I have been waiting for the last three years for the Maltese government to respond to my notes with a proposal to meet and sit down at a table to discuss this colonial inheritance that is historically unjust with Italy.”
Unjust?
“Yes, unjust because Malta’s SAR region extends to Lampedusa and Pantelleria’s doorsteps, and all Italy is asking for is Rome to take over the SAR zone that overlaps onto Italian national interests.
“I assure the Maltese government and the people of Malta, that all Italy is asking for is to have what justly belongs to it. We are not interested in the Flight Information Region (FIR) or any other thing. We just would like to administer our areas better, and this would be of a significant relief for Malta’s resources. We are not interested in what possibly could be under the seabed or any other natural resource in the area.” He says.
Ambassador Trabalza is impatient to respond to the criticism levelled at Italy from the Maltese press. He holds cuttings, but he insists on replying to Saviour Balzan.
“I would like to tell this gentleman that there is no need to insult Italian soldiers. Italians are not war-loving, but they serve as peacekeepers under mandate from the United Nations in Afghanistan and in Lebanon. We have lost men in Nassiriya in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. We have served the ideals of peace, and will continue to do so,” Trabalza explains.
He ends his interview by appealing to the Maltese people not to be discouraged by the war of words exchanged during these last few weeks.
“Relations between Malta and Italy were and will continue to be extremely strong, and unique. Just look around you and see the Italian influence in Malta. Look at the manufacturing industry, and the large exchange of trade between the two countries. Malta and Italy are European partners. Friends that can argue from time to time – perhaps amplified by the media – but on the whole, we both mean so well for each other.”
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