I have arrived in Malta for a 3 day weekend with Fianna. Malta is situated between Sicily and Tunisia and was the home of the Knights Hospitallers of St John for 500 years. We are staying in Valletta the "capital city" which is quite striking. Its on an outcrop of rock surrounded by water and the architecture is a mixture of Italian renaissance Palaces and Medieval fortifications. As the country was a British colony for 150 years English is one of the official languages and they drive on the left. Walking around Malta I thought about how it is an example of why I find the European Union such a great organisation. The country joined the EU in 2004 and is the smallest country in the EU with 460 thousand people. It is also the smallest economy (though not the poorest). And yet it has (more or less) the same rights in the EU Council as France or Germany. When Theresa May asks the 27 EU leaders for an extension or a renegotiation of Brexit everybody has to agree including Malta. I can't think of any other international organisation where the smaller members have as much influence and respect (within reason of course). The EU may well have many faults and problems (tell me which state doesn't) but its founding principles are based on compromise, tolerance and mutual respect. Can we ask for anything more?
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