Mark Montebello's blog

Ftit tal-gimghat ilu, is-Sensiela Kotba Socjalisti (SKS) xandret il-ktieb tal-mibki Frans Sammut, Il-Holma Maltija , tmintax-il sena wara li kienet harget l-ewwel edizzjoni tal-istess ktieb. Ix-xoghol, marbut mal-figura u l-personalità ta’ Mikiel Anton Vassalli, huwa bazikament rumanz storiku msejjes fuq ricerka qawwija dwar il-kundizzjonijiet storici u l-filosofiji ta’ tmiem is-seklu dsatax. Il-kittieb ta’ Samuraj Izda l- Holma Maltija hu aktar minn semplici holqien ta’ artist letterarju. Huwa jgharrex mill-qiegh l-ideologija ta’ Vassalli u jistharreg fit-tul il-vizjoni nazzjonali li kellu ghal pajjizna fost tant saram u hemm. Fuq kollox, fuq livell iehor il-kitba hija tifsira mirquma tal-holma li Frans Sammut stess ghozz f’qalbu ghalih innifsu u ghall-poplu Malti tal-lum u ta’ ghada. Lil Frans jien iltqajt mieghu hafna snin ilu meta hareg il-ktieb Samuraj , imxandar ghall-ewwel darba fl-1975. Bhal hafna ohrajn, fl-età zghira tieghi kont bqajt impressjonat b’dik il-kitba, bl-...

It is, I think, always refreshing to have professional historians proffer interpretations of history which cover bits and pieces of a canvas that gradually comes into focus as a recognisable and coherent picture. In the process there will be many overlapping, of course, and perhaps much repainting of patches here and there. Nevertheless, on the whole the general impression will be, at least where contemporary historians are concerned, a disclosure or unfolding of the rich and complex fabric of the socio-political memoirs of a self-discovering nation. Henry Frendo’s 872-page Europe and Empire: Culture, politics and identity in Malta and the Mediterranean (Midsea Books, 2012) is certainly one worthy contribution to this endless and exiting exploration, covering more or less a third of the British period of our history (1912–1946). Obviously, I cannot (and will not) offer an overall appreciation of the whole publication. Conscious of the fact that it comes from an experienced, highl...

Waqt li l-gvern tal-Ukrajna lest jghannaq, ihobb u tbus lill-popli kollha tal-Ewropa―u dan qed jurih flimkien ma’ dak tal-Polonja bl-ispettaklu favuluz tal-UEFA EURO2012―fl-istess waqt mejjet biex jizbrana lill-unika persuna li lesta tiqaflu: Yulia Tymoshenko, ex-Prim Ministru tal-Ukrajna, Kap tal-Oppozizzjoni u issa priguniera tal-Istat. Karta hamra fl-Ukrajna L-Unjoni Ewropea, kif ukoll diversi gvernijiet ta’ pajjizi fi hdanha, ufficjalment cahdu li jiehdu sehem fl-ispettaklu prestiggjuz tal-futbol li qieghed jigi organizzat mill-Ukrajna flimkien mal-Polonja. Ir-raguni hi li politikament fl-Ukrajna mhux kollox sejjer harir. Anzi, hemm xamma qawwija ta’ korruzzjoni u abbuz istituzzjonali. Sentejn ilu, meta l-Prim Ministru attwali, Viktor Yanukovych, kiseb il-gvern f’idejh, l-ghajta ta’ tbaghbis fir-rizultat tal-elezzjoni xehtet lill-Ukrajna aktar ’l isfel fl-iskala ta’ demokrazija accettabbli. Imbaghad, ftit wara, meta l-kaz ta’ korruzzjoni kontra Tymoshenko, il-Kap tal-Oppozi...

B’ilsienna din l-espressjoni tfisser: “Il-mejtin jitkellmu”. Wiehed jista’ jahseb li din qajla tigri ghajr, forsi, ma’ dawk li jemmnu fil-‘clairvoyance’. Izda fil-fatt tigri hafna aktar ta’ spiss: il-kittieba u l-artisti l-imghoddija, fost ohrajn, jibqghu jitkellmu wara mewthom bl-opri taghhom. Izda xi whud ohra wkoll, anki jekk ma jkunux f’din il-kategorija. Bhal Nicholas Azzopardi, nghidu ahna. Demmu, bhal dak ta’ Abel, jibqa’ jghajjat mill-art. U l-Mulej jibqa’ jistaqsi lill-qattiel tieghu: ‘X’inhu dak li ghamilt?’ Demm jghajjat Il-kaz tal-imsejken Nicholas Azzopardi imur lura ghal April tal-2008, erba’ snin ilu, u xi ftit jew wisq baqa’ ghaddej sal-gimgha li ghaddiet, bir-rizenja tal-Ministru Karm Mifsud Bonnici (ara l-kaxxa bis-‘saga’ ta’ Azzopardi aktar 'l isfel). U l-istorja, terga’ u tghid, ghadha ma spiccatx. Izda ma spiccatx mhux ghax l-awtoritajiet ikkoncernati hadu hsieb izommuha hajja. Le. Ma spiccatx ghax il-familja ta’ Azzopardi baqghet tinsisti u tinsisti,...

L-istituzzjonijiet il-kbar joqtluk u jghadduha franka. Specjalment jekk int wiehed jew wahda mic-cittadini z-zghar. Jghaddu minn fuqek, imbaghad jghattu xturhom. Anzi, jghattu xtur xulxin. Johlom min jahsbu li l-istituzzjonijiet taghna jipprotegu liz-zghir. Jipprotegu biss lilhom infushom u lil min jaghmilha tac-cittadin il-kbir. Ahna c-cittadini z-zghir qabda ‘Bastjan-Borgijiet’ li ghalihom ma nghoddux karlin. Konkluzjoni mhux emmnuta Lejn tmiem ix-xahar ta’ April li ghadda, Franco Debono ghamel mistoqsija parlamentari li fiha staqsa lill-Ministru tal-Gustizzja, Chris Said, x’kien sar minnha l-inkjesta li suppost kienet qed taghmel il-Magistrat (illum Imhallef) Padovani Grima dwar il-qtil tal-imsejken Bastjan Borg fil-11 ta’ Mejju ta’ hames snin qabel (2007). Innota: hames snin ! Ma kinetx ghadha lesta, wiegeb l-Onor. Ministru. Imma mbaghad, Alla jbierek, anqas minn gimghatejn biss wara ... kienet lesta. Abrakatabra! Dak li ma sarx f’hames snin sar f’gimgha u ftit. U r-rizulta...