James Debono The Pembroke council had to cancel a trip scheduled this week for the Chinese town of Anning, after the government aborted a proposed twinning agreement between the two towns.
The local councils department objected to the Sino-Maltese pact, because the council did not submit a work plan and financial estimate of the twinning expenses.
It is the first time the government has stopped a twinning agreement between a Maltese council and a foreign town.
The council was also reprimanded for making travel plans without the department’s authorisation, and because letters informing the department on this matter were not signed by Pembroke’s executive secretary.
Pembroke mayor Joe Zammit however claims the decision is the result of “political manoeuvring” and was only obliged to seek the department’s permission before the signing of the twinning.
“God forbid that the department interferes before the council even starts discussions with a particular town or village in another country… it would be a breach of the council’s autonomy to choose with which town or village it intends to strengthen its friendship.
“Is this because China is not a EU country or because the agreement was reached by a council run by a Labour majority?” Zammit queried.
The mayor said he has informed the Chinese embassy of the departments’ decision.
He also claims the council obtained a €3,500 sponsorship and the government’s yearly €3,500 allocation for twinning agreements to fund the visit. Zammit claims the system penalises councils with more than one twinning agreement, since the €3,500 is given to each council, irrespective of the number of twinning agreements.
In a letter to the department, Zammit insisted that the council would only have been in a position to draft a detailed work plan after signing the agreement.
The council delegation was to composed of Zammit, vice-mayor Alfred Mazzitelli and councillor Joe Brincat, paid from the council’s coffers. Mazzitelli’s Chinese wife was also chosen as an interpreter – according to the council’s minutes – but she had to pay for her own expenses.
Pembroke already has twinning agreements Welsh towns Pembroke Dock and Pembroke Town and the Italian city of Roccalumera.
Zammit says councils cannot claim EU funds for twinning agreements with non-EU towns in China, Russia and the United States.
The council had been engaged in talks with the Chinese authorities and the former Chinese ambassador, who hails from Anning.
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