[Watch] Merkel meets Gonzi in Berlin, lauds Malta’s economic performance

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has lauded Malta’s economic performance, despite the “difficult times.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel greeting Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in Berlin
German Chancellor Angela Merkel greeting Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in Berlin

Addressing the media shortly after a meeting in Berlin with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised Malta for "amply proving" what she described as its "excellent economic data".

The Chancellor stressed that Malta is an example of how one could still achieve results, despite the  difficult environment. Malta, Merkel said, had developed well, and insisted that the island's 'particular circumstances' must be catered for in the EU Budget.

Merkel called on all EU leaders for a 'quick' decision on the pending financial framework, which talks had ended in a stalemate last December.

Flanked by Gonzi, Merkel also spoke about the financial crisis which has hit Cyprus, warning that there cannot be any 'special rules' for the island's urgently needed bailout, and stressed that talks about the bailout with Nicosia are "far from over".

The comments follow reports this morning that the Cypriot loan deal will be delayed until communist president Dimitris Christofias has left office, in February (suggesting a deal might not come until March). If true, it is widely expected that Cyprus may face a shortage of cash.

Last month, Cypriot government officials denied claims that the country was struggling to fund wage payments to civil servants.

Meanwhile, Gonzi hailed Merkel's leadership role during the economic crisis, saying that her policies were 'right in curbing the crisis'.

 

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Luke Camilleri
Ms. Merkel should ccome over to Malta and get a PERSONALISED tour by Dr. Lawrence Gonzi on the detention Centers at Marsa or Safi! Dr. Lawrence Gonzi should have taken the opportunity to tell Merkel for her country to do some BURDEN SHARING on the illegal immigration situation! Germany did noot even take one refugee, one illegal immigrant, BUT THAT IS IRRELEVANT!
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David Bongailas
@mourinho. Enjoy voting PN with their mega high IQ levels dear. And keep applauding them like the intelligent person that you are once they decide to give themselves a hefty pay rise while you will still be obliged to pay higher utility bills. Or once they announce some other "innovative" project like the arriva project. Their is no doubt that the "highly successful" arriva project could only be achieved by people with extremely high IQ levels!!!
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flash news fuq is super one kienet din....
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what hopeless comments from the below red blinkered bloggers ! If these are LP supporters....their IQ leaves much to be desired...if they know what IQ means at this point... enjoy voting labour guys...
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David Bongailas
Ain't that cute ??!!!!! One Christian Democrat lauding another Christian Democrat....................anything to keep the evil, bay eating, vile Socialists out I suppose! They even have the cheek to accuse Labour of using "gimmicks".
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Angela Merkel don't interfere with our Politics. If you really want to help Malta and not GonziPN, then all you have to do is pay out debts and deficits, take half of our illegal immigrants and order the other EU countries to take the other half, Tell you investors to come and invest in our Island, give us money to rebuilt what your ancestors destroyed during the war, ask you French counterpart to donate back what they stole from our country.
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@Thorny ... he already got his photo with Obama, but its hard to see him standing behind the president and the first lady. He is sticking to shorter leaders for the rest of the year!
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Hey Merkel - a big part of our economic success was assisting German companies evade taxes here in Malta. Thanks for being such a sport dear!
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Luke Camilleri
It takes two to tango and the merit is certainly not Gonzi's alone who ruled the country without a Parliamentary Majority for over a year! It's thanks to the Opposition which always put malta's interests first ...whilst Gonzi was more focused on solving his Party's problems than governing! Who's for the next photoshoot, The Pope? David Cameron? Berlusconi? President Obama?
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Mn'Alla mar Berlin ghax meta kien Malta, il-Prim Ministru Gonzi qalilna li ma jistax irahhas il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma. Ir-rih tal-bidla ta Muscat donnu dawra wahda sew il-pinnur. Taghmlu sew Gonzi & Simon, stennew il-proposti ta Muscat, imbaghad l-ewwel tghidu li huma gimmicks, imbaghad tikkuppjawhom. Mhux ta b'xejn tidhru iccassati fil-billboard!
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Mark Fenech
What Dr. Muscat has stated is totally true. PL is seeking to gratify the people, while Gonzipn just want to gratify themselves. What has Malta got, from this visit? Only expenses, and perhaps we shall see this photograph on a gonzipn billboard. No returns for the expenditure made. The german companies did not come in the Merkel days, far from it, so we do not owe her any gratitude on that score.
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din taf li ghandna tiatru bla saqaf li kissru huma forsi tibnih min jaf
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Gietna gholja il-handshake ta Angela Merkel! Kemm giet tiswa 20,000 euros jet privat two way? L-aqwa li pirmli out of stock u li hemm 85,000 new poor!
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Hsibtu se jigi jghidilna li ftiehem li se jibghat xi 3000 immigrant bil-ftehim tal-burden sharing li ghamel Simon.