Embassies' policy 'jars' with austerity measures

The Labour Party's spokesman on foreign affairs, Leo Brincat said it appeared that the government was persisting in its policy to open embassies in countries which did not have an embassy in Malta.

This contrasted with the Labour policy that Maltese embassies were opened on a reciprocal basis, in countries that were represented in Malta through an embassy or which had immediate plans to open one.

Mr Brincat said the government's policy jarred with the present austerity the country was going through because of the deficit, debts and taxation that characterised the last budget.

Mr Brincat said that with the exception of Spain, which had confirmed that it would be opening an embassy in Malta soon, Malta opened or would be opening embassies in countries which do not appear to have immediate plans for Malta. These included Austria, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Sweden and Hungary, he said.