Eurobarometer report (2)

The Malta Independent Feb 17: "The Eurobarometer survey, requested and coordinated by the EU’s Directorate General Press and Communication, suggests that the Maltese believe, at a personal level, in their ability to overcome the challenges presented by economic restructuring in the country. This could also be a reflection of the growing importance being assigned to non-financial life domains, such as the quality of the environment, and the role of the EU in introducing higher standards to those domains..

Maltese respondents share a strong sense of European identity. The percentage of Maltese who say they identify with their own nationality only is lower than that reported in the 25 member states overall. Most Maltese said they felt equally Maltese and European. Maltese females tend to sense a European identity to a lesser extent than males..

Among the 25 EU member states and the candidate countries, the Maltese have expressed the lowest level of support for a rapid reaction force that would be used to deal with situations of international crisis."

MaltaMedia Feb 17: "Support for the European Union Constitution among the Maltese fell to 56 per cent, down from 70 per cent in the spring of 2003, according to the results of the public opinion survey held in Malta in October 2004..

The EU Constitution would strengthen a Maltese presence in the EU institutions by granting the country an additional seat in the European Parliament. The fact that the mainstream opposition party has not yet taken a stand on this issue is likely to have contributed to uncertainty among respondents – 24 per cent say they do not know whether or not they support the Constitution. In addition, the government’s decision to rule out popular approval through a referendum has dampened public interest on the subject."

MaltaRightNow Feb 17: "Dawk li ħadu sehem fl-istħarriġ qalu li s-sitwazzjoni ekonomika kienet l-aktar kwistjoni mportanti li Malta qed tiffaċċja f'dan il-mument. Il-qgħad u l-inflazzjoni wkoll issemmew minn ħafna. Fi żmien l-istħarriġ, it-trasport pubbliku, is-sistema edukattiva, it-terroriżmu u l-affarijiet ta' difiża u ntern kienu l-anqas importanti fost il-Maltin. Il-kwistjoni ta' l-immigrazzjoni kienet ikkunsidrata r-raba' kwistjoni mill-aktar importanti li qed jiffaċċja l-pajjiż.

Skond l-istħarriġ l-istituzzjonijiet li jafdaw l-aktar il-Maltin huma dawk ta' karita' u ta' volontarjat. Warajhom jiġu l-armata, il-Pulizija u l-istituzzjonijiet reliġjużi. Minkejja li l-maġġoranza qalu li m'għandhomx fiduċja fil-partiti politiċi u l-media, fl-elezzjonijiet ġenerali aktar minn 95 fil-mija ta' dawk reġistrati għall-vot imorru jivvutaw."

L-Orizzont Feb 16: "Madwar 67 fil-mija tal-poplu Malti jemmen li s-sitwazzjoni ekonomika ta’ pajjizna mhix se tirpilja, waqt li 65 fil-mija jemmnu li lanqas il-qasam tax-xoghol m’huwa se jitjieb. Dawn ix-xejriet hargu minn stharrig li se jigi ppublikat mill-Eurobarometer, l-agenzija ta’ l-istatistika ta‘ l-UE, fil-jiem li gejjin. L-istudju sar f’Ottubru li ghadda fost il-Maltin li ghandhom aktar minn 15-il sena.

Il-figuri ta’ l-Unjoni Ewropea juru wkoll kif aktar Maltin qeghdin iqisu l-immigrazzjoni bhala kwistjoni ewlenija ta’ pajjizna. Il-Maltin jghidu wkoll li l-inqas li jafdaw huma lill-partiti politici. Fl-istess waqt, dawk favur il-Kostituzzjoni Ewropea nizlu minn 70 fil-mija ghal 56 fil-mija.

L-istatistika turi kif 46 fil-mija tal-Maltin iqisu li s-sitwazzjoni ekonomika ta’ pajjizna se tmur ghall-aghar fi zmien 12-il xahar, waqt li 21 fil-mija jemmnu li s-sitwazzjoni se tibqa’ kif inhi. 20 fil-mija biss jemmnu li s-sitwazzjoni se tmur ghall-ahjar. Il-kumplament, 14 fil-mija, qalu li ma jafux. Dwar il-qasam ta’ l-impjiegi, 47 fil-mija jemmnu li s-sitwazzjoni se tmur ghall-aghar u 18 fil-mija ohrajn qalu li din se tibqa’ l-istess. Kien hemm 23 fil-mija li qalu li s-sitwazzjoni tax-xoghol se tmur ghall-ahjar waqt li 12 fil-mija qalu li ma jafux x’se jigri."

Read the latest Eurobarometer Malta Survey here (published yesterday)