Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo on Wednesday raised the possibility that a French newspaper's claims of Chinese spying through Malta's embassy to the EU were retaliation for Malta’s decision to veto EU funding for Operation Irini, the EU naval mission to stop arms trafficking to Libya. 

The claims were made by Le Monde, which claimed that in 2007, Dar Malta in Brussels, which houses the permanent Maltese representation for the EU, had been used by the Chinese as part of an espionage mission on EU institutions.

The prominent report was published last month, a few days after Malta announced its decision over Operation Irini in protest over EU inaction on migration.  

The espionage claims were promptly denied by the government and by the former ambassador of Malta to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana.

The matter was raised in parliament on Wednesday by Opposition MP Kevin Cutajar, who asked Bartolo for his reaction on the matter.

In his reply the foreign minister denied the claims and questioned if this was part of a politically motivated attack against Malta.

“It is interesting to wonder why such claims have been made after 13 years. Could it be the case that this was related to the controversy on the position we took on Irini, as a form of payback? It is a ridiculous and baseless claim, and I am baffled how a newspaper such as Le Monde is used for such purpose,” he remarked.

He said that in 2007 and later ,the Belgian secret service had investigated the matter and concluded such claims were unfounded.

Bartolo said the presence of Chinese workers at Dar Malta in 2007 was solely due to the fact that the government of the time had acquired furniture from China.

“It is shameful that such a claim is levelled against tiny Malta,” the foreign minister remarked.   

EU risks becoming 'irrelevant'

Replying to a separate parliamentary question, this time from Opposition MP Carm Mifsud Bonnici, Bartolo fired a salvo at the EU saying its inaction to address the situation in neighbouring Libya was making the bloc “irrelevant”.

“One of my disappointments after my first few months as foreign minister is that it is extremely difficult to put issues related to the Mediterranean, Southern Europe and Libya on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council meetings,” he said.

Bartolo said that efforts for a solution in Libya were being taken in Moscow, Ankara and Cairo through mediation and diplomacy but no such initiatives were being taken in Berlin, Paris or Rome.

Libya visit

Questioned by Opposition MPs on the outcome of the prime minister’s visit to Libya last week, Bartolo confirmed that an agreement had been reached for the setting up of coordination centres in Valetta and Tripoli to fight human trafficking.

Bartolo said that a memorandum of understanding had been signed, which he tabled in parliament. (See pdf document below)

The five-page document says the coordination centres shall start operating on July 1, and be manned by three officials in each country, though Malta will be financing the costs for both centres and shall be used for “support and coordination”

The Maltese government also bound itself to lobby Brussels for more EU funds for Libya to secure its southern borders and for the provision of equipment to fight organised crime. Moreover, Malta shall propose funding for maritime assets to intercept and follow-up human trafficking activities in the Mediterranean

Asked why no Maltese media was present for last week’s trip, the foreign minister said this was due to the high risks involved, and that clearance was only given at the last minute.

He pointed out that Mitiga airport, where the Maltese delegation landed, was frequently attacked.