The news that Malta was chosen to host the European Asylum Support Office sends a clear message to those skeptics who think we have a second-class European Union membership. It is a sign of the high esteem that Malta is regarded with by other member states. This is further testified by the fact that Cyprus and Bulgaria decided to withdraw their bid when it was clear that Malta had the absolute confidence of 22 other countries.
Gaining the right to host the EASO comes after months of negotiation, excellent teamwork and coordination between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Maltese Representation to the European Union in Brussels. The lobbying and the huge effort that every official involved in this project made have given us this prestigious seat. Hats off to those who made all this happen; these are people who, unlike us politicians, are rarely mentioned and are never in the limelight, but I think that their work and unconditional commitment should be lauded as they are the ones who make Malta stand out and they are the ones without whom we would never dream of being in the position we are now.
Malta in the centre of the Mediterranean will indeed be the most excellent location to better understand the phenomena that have caused immigration to soar in these last few years. The setting up of this agency will enable us to share ideas and act more quickly and effectively.
The 100 or so officials will be able to see at first hand the effects that such migration is leaving on European states, especially small ones like ours, which have to carry disproportionate chunks of this burden.
Events and achievements like these are significant for our country. They are steps in the right direction, towards achieving the goal of a Europe that is equal but diverse, a Europe where the standard of living is the same throughout, where the conditions of work offer our workforce peace of mind; a Europe that is greener and, thus, the air is cleaner than it is now and, at the same time, a Europe that does not lose its traditional roots even at national level; a Europe that will still keep the same values that our forefathers fought for, the traditions that each single town or village has and the dialect that even the citizens of the smallest hamlet speak. It took 500 years of war and bloodbaths to have the Union we have now. We have to build on that, consolidate all that makes us Europeans and have the will to change those things that keep us from doing so.
In six years of EU membership we have made huge strides ahead, our citizens are becoming more conscious of what's happening around them, of the fact that we should do our utmost to leave the world in a better state than the way we found it. It is important to understand that every little effort counts, that, in simply separating waste, we are making a valid contribution towards a better living environment.
These last couple of weeks have been very eventful for Malta, with another important piece of news that EU Commissioner designate John Dali will be entrusted with the health and consumer policy portfolio, one of the most important in the Barroso Commission. It is a task that I have no doubt Mr Dalli will excel in and I am sure a task he will cherish. I again congratulate him and give him my word I won't be too tough during his grilling session at the European Parliament!
We have a bright future ahead of us. We should look at our challenges with optimism, use dialogue and persuasion as our tools and always try and compromise to find a solution. We are regarded by many of our European counterparts as a small island with a big heart, and we should make sure we live up to this reputation.
Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.