'Germany to continue building on present investment'

German Prime Minister Angela Merkel publicly declared that her government would continue building on the German investment already present in Malta, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Parliament yesterday.

Answering questions by the opposition, following a statement on his three-day official visit to Germany, Dr Gonzi said that although neither Ms Merkel nor her government had made any specific commitments, the statement made by the German head of government at a joint news conference was significantly important. It was now up to Malta to follow up the results of the visit for new initiatives to be taken. Germany had helped Malta more than other countries in this sector.

Dr Gonzi told Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat that BMW were mentioned in the context that together with Deutsche Bank and Bosch they were involved in the financial sector in Malta.

Dr Muscat had earlier stated said that German investment in Malta was significant, due also to the peace of mind instilled by the consensus of both sides of the House on foreign investment and on economic direction. He had declared that he would refrain from speaking on economic matters because he would address the subject in another forum.

Dr Gonzi said that he had no difficulty about discussing the economy, as long as both sides were constructive and prudent. Malta's financial institutions were holding ground against all odds.

The government was following the international situation closely. This situation was worrisome and there was no place for complacency, and one had to see how the manufacturing and tourism sectors would respond so that the country could remain on the right track.

Dr Gonzi added that the Budget measures had been taken in this scenario and Dr Muscat could best tackle such issues in the House Committee on Consideration of Bills, which was currently discussing the Budgetary Measures Implementation Bill.

Reacting to opposition spokesman on foreign affairs George Vella, the Prime Minister said that there were indeed good opportunities for the two countries to collaborate on energy issues and climate change. Germany was well advanced in research on alternative energy. Malta provided better potential than other EU countries for advanced research on solar energy because of its stable and consistent amount of sunshine.

Dr Gonzi said that in Hamburg, industrialists from the maritime and information technology sectors had shown a lot of interest on ship registration and information technology development in Malta. But no one had asked him about the privatisation of Malta Shipyards.

Turning to the proposed Malta conference on immigration, Dr Gonzi said that the participants would be coming from EU countries and from the African continent, not only from the Arab League.

The real problem behind illegal immigration was the poverty and the political and economic instability in Africa. He had again referred Ms Merkel to Malta's initiatives, started by former Foreign Minister Michael Frendo, for greater collaboration between the EU and the Arab League.

He reiterated that Malta remained committed to continuing to do its utmost in giving a role to the Mediterranean Union and making it effective. Malta was disappointed with the crisis in Gaza.

Both Malta and Germany were positive on the role that the EU should play to safeguard the Mediterranean. He added that the Partnership for Peace process had not been discussed, neither with Ms Merkel nor with Federal Foreign Minister Franz Walter Steinmeier.

Answering Carmelo Abela (PL), Dr Gonzi said that the forthcoming visit by the Bundestag Speaker in Malta would include a parliamentary delegation which would hold talks with Maltese MPs.