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Imagine the next EU Leaders' Summit...


In a few months' time, in a galaxy not so far away, leaders of the governments of EU countries will be discussing the problems their countries have been facing in the past years:

- "We had to call an early election because of two straight years of economic recession"

- "We had to go for a national unity government and heavily reduce our pensions because of a national debt exceeding 120% of the GDP"

- "We had to increase students' University fees, and the sad thing is that more than 20% of them will not find employment"

- "Our tourism levels suffered a huge decline, and our unemployment levels sky-rocketed."

....

- "What about you Joseph? What happened there in Malta?"

JM: "Well ... ehm ... to tell you the truth, together with Germany we were the only two EU member states which in the past five years have managed to boost our competitiveness and fiscal stability ...
we are one of only 6 EU countries with youth unemployment levels lower than 15% ...
we have one of the lowest unemployment rates at less than 7% ...
national debt still below 70% and deficit below 3% of GDP ...
a record number of tourist arrivals ...
a very good record of direct foreign investment ...
and to top it all, our students still get their stipends while University courses are free, pensioners still get full cost-of-living increase, and for the past years we had seen a gradual widening of income tax rates including an additional beneficial rate for working parents."

- "Wow, that's unbelievable! The German Foreign Minister was right in saying your country should be a role-model for the rest of Europe. Why the vote of no confidence in the Government then? And how the hell did you manage to win it?"

JM: "Ehm ... there was this young MP, and ... you know, he wanted to be Minister at all costs ... and he actually believed that whatever he proposed was more important than all of the above."

- "But how did you manage to convince the people?"

JM: "Well, they just believe that 'change' is always for the better. They never bother to ask 'change to what'."

Comments

  1. AndrewJanuary 17, 2012 at 12:40 PM

    I also imagine the next summit.
    Merkel - 'So Lawrence, why are you here on your own today? Where is your ambassador'
    Gonzi - 'Well you see Angela, we might be having an election soon in Malta and therefore we don't needed or Ambassador cum Campaign manager to work for the Party in order to win the election again'.
    Merkel - 'Wait you mean that your Ambassador to the EU is also the PN's strategy leader?'
    Gonzi - 'Well.....yes'.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AndrewJanuary 17, 2012 at 2:29 PM

    sorry for the typing errors. I was in a bit of a hurry.

    ReplyDelete

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