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Air Malta pilots call off strike after talks, Mario de Marco relieved at 'great news'
UPDATE 5 | Parliamentary secretary for tourism Mario de Marco has expressed 'relief' at the news that Air Malta pilots have called off their planned action next Saturday.
13 July 2011, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
2 min read
Speaking to MaltaToday, Mario de Marco said that he was relieved that "responsible talks" have led the pilots to withdraw their notice of industrial action which was planned for next Saturday.
"The most important thing is that dialogue prevails and matters are discussed around a table in a sincere and frank manner," de Marco said, adding that he looks forward to seing the pilots "do what they are best at doing, flying planes and bringing more tourists to Malta."
The action was called off following a meeting at Castille that was chaired by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and finance minister Tonio Fenech, in the presence of Air Malta chairman Louis Farrugia, senior management at the airline, pilots association president Dominic Azzopardi and representatives from other unions.
In a joint statement it was announced that "all strike actions by the pilots have been withdrawn."
The statement explained that during the meeting, all sides agreed to work closely in securing a better deal for Air Malta with MIA, improving the performance of Air Malta, seeking new opportunities on cargo, and facing all challenges that will turn around the profitability of the company.
"On the issues pertaining to the compliment of pilots within the restructuring process, while ALPA recognises the need to reduce the number of pilots, management will engage in active discussions with ALPA to maximise utilisation of the crew compliment," the statement said.
Air Malta has also agreed to withdraw all legal action against the union.
Commenting to MaltaToday, Pilots' Association president Dominic Azzopardi expressed satisfaction at the way things have "positively developed" during the talks, and said that "goodwill has prevailed from all sides."
While expressing hope that this goodwill continues, Azzopardi has reiterated the pilots' committment towards the national airline, and will strive to make Air Malta a viable company.
Meanwhile, a demonstration in Valletta will still go ahead on Friday, where Air Malta employees, backed by the General Workers' Union, For.um and other unions, will march to Castille.
The enginieers' union has still not committed itself to participating in Friday's march.
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Aghsru l-panigierku kollha li ghamlu dawn ta' hawn taht, aghsruhom sewwa u araw tohrogx qatra wahda ta' sustanza. Xejn. Assolutament xejn. Hafna ambigwita, hafna loghob bil-kliem u fatti xejn.
Hadd ma cahad li haw karozzi daqs kemm haw nies. Haw djar, il-naggoranza kbira ta' djar, qishom vilel. Apparti l-vilel. Hadd mna cahad li l-maggoranza tal-Maltin isiefru fuq btala, xalar, ikel, xorb, tipjip, divertiment, tlahlih...kullimkien.
DAWN FATTI bhalma huwa fatt li kien il-MLP li holoq ministeru ghall-emigrazzjoni u kien il-MLP li kien jibghat il-banda ddoqq waqt li eluf ta' Maltin, b'qalbhom maqsuma, kienu qed jigu itturufnati minn Malta.
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Hemm xi bravu li jista jghatina spjegazzjoni kif ser jithallas id-dejn tal-wahx
li ghamel il-pn biex jiffangaw tal-klikka u forsi wkoll fejn marru ???
Bil-biljuni ta Euros li tberbqu messu ghandna toroq tal-irham u xi 6 flyovers
biex it-traffic jimxi ahjar, to mentoin just one.
Nahseb li min hu serju u jibda jibni pajjiz mil-pedament mhux ic-cikulata
jara l-ewwel imma fejn ser jahdmu, joqghodu in-nies. Min hu zaqqu mimlijja
ic-cikkulata jsemmi u mhux l-eluf ta plots lil koppji zaghzagh bil-Lohombus
isellifhom b-imaxx baxx, jibni toroq godda, sptar gdid (Karen Grech) waiting
lists non existant etc etc., u ma ninsewx li il-korpi inholqu biex tieqaf
il-kiefra emigrazzjoni, li kienet tara eluf ta ommijjiet jitilfu lil uliedhom
ghal-dejjem, immagina tmur twassal lil uliedek sal-vapur biex jemigraw
ghax Malta la kien hawn xoghol, u lanqas beneficcji socjali.
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Sue Demartino, ghara toghbok'x din.......Salvatur tad demokrazijja, traditur ta siehbu Borg olivier..Infern passat vjolenza organizzata fid depot tal pulizijja, min ufficjali pampaluni nazzjonalisti ( 2 miinhom mir rahal tieghek ) li wara 1987 inataw promozzjonijiet ta supretendenti, u assistent kummissarju....Bla cikkulata u televisions.....u bicca art ghal 200 LIRA, u 10000 bil PUNT tnejn fil mijja.....Strikijiet tat tobba u ghax dahlu ftit minnhom ghax xoghol QTITLULHOM LIL ULIEDHOM.....nies tal kulur tieghek ( mux Blue ta, imma hodor ) jimmanigjaw min wara il poplu malti kontra Malta.......Is serpent tad desert li il prim ministru Fenech Adami, u Gonzi marru JILAQULU SORMU.......In nazzjon ta wicc wiehed, li mortu tilaqulhom sormom wkoll.......L'infern tal lum......Kontijiet tad dawl u ilma li kullhadd ma jiflahx jhallas......xoghol part time jew barra.........U MA TISTAX TISTRAJKJA..........bicca flat 50,000 lLIRA.......Servizzi tal isptar disastru.....BOLLA BALLA XAREJN min kull sena........U fuq kollox jekk tkun ghajnek bhali, ma tista qatt tavvanza il quddiem go xi dipartiment tal gvern.........ghax jien mux kunjomi Demartino !!
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L-ottimizmu ta Demartino jfakkarni fil-bandisti tat-Titanic. Baqghu allegri u ottimisti l-vapur mhux se jeghreq!!
Malta u l-PN qed jeghrqu u Demartino jelogja fuq il-gid (sic) li hawn.
Heqq hekk jaqbillu hux. Jien naf min qed jimpala l-liri u kunjomu bhalu. Forsi min jaf hux? Forsi Demartino jaqbel maghna imma heqq qed ipappiha sewwa u l-fridge tieghu mimlija, u ma ghandux dejn fuq darhu, u ma ghandux minimum wage u ma ghandux kuntratt ta part time. Mhux bilfors li hu ottimist.
Issa l-vapur jeghreq u tieqaf il-banda u jghid u jistghageb kif jista jkun kien hawn tant gid.A person living in denial.
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Hobzu mahbuz u sejtu fil-kus is-SINJUR
Mur dur dawra fid-djar halli tara kemm hawn nies qedin tajjeb
Dur dawra mad-dipartimenti tal-Gvern halli tara id0diskriminaxxjoni li tesisti. Tighdlix li qabel sar hekk, ghaliex tkun qed tiggustifika li tnejn hziena jaghmlu wiehed tajjeb.
kemm hawn nies jahdmu BISS part time
kemm hawn nies li wara hadmu hajjithom kollha issa lanqas jieklu sura ahseb u ara jixxalaw. Lanqas medicini ma qedin issibu. Jew din biex il-gvern jiffranka il-pensjonijiet ? halli tigi sostenibli?
Hawn ftit li qishom jghixu f'dinja ghalihom u ma jinterresshomx minn haddiehor (madan kollu il-gvern stess qed jaghmel hekk) ahseb u ara dawk il-ftit ta madwarhom.
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Prosit DeMartino...ghadek kif iddeskrivejt x'qed jigri tahtkom f'dawn l-ahhar kwart ta seklu...li nsejt issemmi huwa li qamar gibtu fotkopja tieghu hawnekk wkoll bil barriera dejn li ghamiltu ghalina u ghal uliedna!!!!
Int nafu li sta bene u qed tpappija tajjeb ghalhekk dejjem tredden favur dawn il faxxisti li qedin fil Gvern!!!
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Salvatur, Traditur u issa GENJU! Insomma!
Infern passat: Bla demokrazija u bla qorti kostituzzjonali, vjolenza organizzata, torturi u qtil fid-depot tal-pulizja, jinharqu kazini, sramperija, kwartieri tal-MUT, Kurja u qisu ma gara xejn u ma jsir xejn. Nuqqaijiet ta' kollox. Minn TV tal-kulur sa kilo zokkor, minn bicca cikkualata sa stocc toothpaste. Konna wasalna fir-ridikolagni li l-Malta Football Ass. etc ma serghets issejjah lilha n-nifisha MALTA...Imhallfin mheddin u assaltati, haddiema locked out, haddiema mitluba jiddikjaraw bil-miktub li ma jobdux il-union taghhom....Storja ma tispicca qatt.
L-infern tal-lum: Karozzi izjed milli nifilhu, djar lussuzi bl-ahjar apparati moderni, safar sfrenat, ikliet barra trid tibbukkja mejda, xalar u divertiment mill-aqwa, parties li jiswew eluf kbar ta' ewros, maratoni ta' gbir li jbellhuk bl-eluf u eluf li jingabru kull gimgha, kulhadd jiekol, kulhadd jixtob, kulhadd ipejjep, kulhadd jixxala, kulhadd jitlahlah.......Dawn FATTI li jidhru anki bnla nuccali. Farri konkreti li hadd ma jista' jichadhom. U x'ghala l-bubun mid-dejn nazzjonali! Obama wkoll inkwetat bil-biljuni ta' dajn li ghandha l-Amerka. Tistghageb li ghandna d-dejn ahna?
Meta jitla' l-lejber erbat ijiem ohra mhux fil-qamar immorru, imma noqoghdu haw ha ngawdu l-gid kbir li jgib mieghu ir-regim laburista.
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@Malti kburi
finding a job is not an issue..finding a REAL job is the problem..all there is are minimum wage jobs, part time or even less than that. Unless of course one is a blue eyed boy.
Your comment confirms that checking your IQ is a must..
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@Mikegold...Ghadek tghix 30 sena ilu habib. Ma tridx tikber min mohhok u tirrealizza li L-Gvern tieghek huwa hati ta hafna fallimenti u hafna weghat lil familji. Taf x'inhi id differenza Mike, li fi zmiena forsi vera kellna telefon, dawl u ilma divettuzi minhabba li t-teknoligija kienet ghada mhux avvanzata daqs tal lum. Il Lum ghandna dawn il kumditajiet u nibzaw jew niddejqu nuzawhom ghax ma naffordawhomx!...Il Partit taghkom, partit tas sinjur u mhux tal haddiem. Lil haddiem dejjem kasbru u seraqlu kull ma sablu. L-istess qed jigri issa fl- Airmalta. 2 miljunarji xorbu demm il haddiema tal Airmalta u l-Gvern qed jathihom is support tieghu...Inthom ma tfiqu qatt. Ghandkom bzonn sabta sew u iva bic cintorin habib ghax lil haddiem u l-familtu bikkejtuh!!!
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INTER4EVER insejt bahar u sewwi dirghajn il-maltin il-korp tal-pijuniri, in-numerous clausus, telefons tal-qamel dawl u ilma jinqatghu mhux darba kultant imma kwazi kuljum insejt lil tal-bowsers) bulk buying tal-affarijiet skaduti. liberta xejn mela vera genju Mintoff insejt u l-flus tal-war damage li hadd ma jaf fejn spiccaw. Ara min gie impjegat fil kumpaniji li holoq il mlp. issa kullhadd jkollu it-tajjeb tieghu imma li tinsa l ghaks ta dak iz-zmien kbira. mur illum fir restuarants ha tara fil weekend b' min ikun mimlijin. Ma gara xejn issa la jkun hemm Joseph nisperra li nkunu ahjar u mhux nibdew intaqbu it-toqob fic-cintoarin
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INTER4EVER insejt bahar u sewwi dirghajn il-maltin il-korp tal-pijuniri, in-numerous clausus, telefons tal-qamel dawl u ilma jinqatghu mhux darba kultant imma kwazi kuljum insejt lil tal-bowsers) bulk buying tal-affarijiet skaduti. liberta xejn mela vera genju Mintoff insejt u l-flus tal-war damage li hadd ma jaf fejn spiccaw. Ara min gie impjegat fil kumpaniji li holoq il mlp. issa kullhadd jkollu it-tajjeb tieghu imma li tinsa l ghaks ta dak iz-zmien kbira. mur illum fir restuarants ha tara fil weekend b' min ikun mimlijin. Ma gara xejn issa la jkun hemm Joseph nisperra li nkunu ahjar u mhux nibdew intaqbu it-toqob fic-cintoarin
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Whatever the PM / Minister promised ALPA, time will tell. Pilots decided, abin Crew decided, Engineers have no problem at all, GWU Members nothing. It is not the GWU's fault, its the fault of the managers who managed to escape GWU, and postpone discussions. Truely, these so called managers with whom they dealt, are not working anymore for Airmalta. Like ones before me spoke, it is not only the pilots who can ground the aircrafts, but that's not the way to work things out...it is much easier. Airmalta is not being fair with GWU Members. They should get their share, because if the collective agreement of ALPA has expired, I believe the GWU Members did not renew their collective agreement for the last 8 years. Shame on the Govt, and shame on the managers at Airmalta. It is such a shame.
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@Peppi x
Do you have a Phd in "the bleeding obvious"?
Do you seriously believe that we need domnic to ground the airline to tell us what is bleeding obvious?
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@employee
I'm afraid you are bloody well right. They're buying time and taking everyone for a ride.
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It seems that everybody falls in the snare of GonziPN. What really happened in the meeting? I think blackmailing galore. Mr. Dominic Azzopardi - what were you offered? Did they give you a carrot whilst the rest of Airmalta workers will be redundant?
GonziPN will do anything to stay in power. Dominic Azzopardi and ALPA seemed to be caught in the trap.
I hate Maltese politics. Its a show! A Circus free of charge.
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@employee.......sorry moderator, but cannot refrain from answering his insulting comment ....i would assume that since your IQ is so high employee,you would have no problem at finding a job as soon as you are kicked out!!Gluck!
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whatever happens on our dear Islands has to be always politicised. cant we for once be Malta? and think Malta first and foremost for a change please? of course we still have our votes during elections and decide who should or not govern our islands. but meanwhile can we get on with it and whoever is running our islands , we thrive to make it a better world for us and our offsprings? lets mature also on this political front.
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Giovann.DeMartino l-infern għaddejnih u qed ngħadduh taħt dal-Gvern Saħta ta' Malta, u din ma qaliex il-PL imma ħaddieħor.
Taħt il-PN inqered dak kollu li kien sar b'sagrifiċċji mill-poplu MAlti li minkejja dan kien qed igawdi dak kollu li semmielek inter4ever u iktar.
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Giovann.DeMartino l-infern għaddejnih u qed ngħadduh taħt dal-Gvern Saħta ta' Malta, u din ma qaliex il-PL imma ħaddieħor.
Taħt il-PN inqered dak kollu li kien sar b'sagrifiċċji mill-poplu MAlti li minkejja dan kien qed igawdi dak kollu li semmielek inter4ever u iktar.
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Niskanta kif illum, fis-seklu 21, f'Malta ghadek issib nies li minflok jiehdu pjacir li jintlahaq il-ftehim, jinkeddu ghax giet evitata l-konfrontazzjoni. Kemm hu sew meta nibdew nirragunaw l-ewwel bhala Maltin u mbaghad bhala laburisti u nazzjonalisti. L-ALPA irnexxilhom igibu l-poplu Malti konxju mill-problemi veri ta' l-Airmalta imma fl-ahhar mill-ahhar kienu responsabbli bizzejjed biex iharsu l-interessi veri taghhom u tal-haddiema l-ohra kemm fl-Airmalta kif ukoll fis-settur turistiku. Rebah is-sens komun.
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Sur Demartino in nofs Malta li ma jiftakrux lil MLP fil gvern ma jdumux ma jibdew jindunaw kemm huma xortihom tajba meta id-DEJN tal-biza li
ghamiltu inthom jibda jiekol fil-laham il-haj lil haddiem. Min hu ghama ghal PN
(ghax thalla jisraq u jgerfex kemm irid) ghandu ragun ghax iz-zaqq il-hoxna qatt ma tat kas il vojta. Fi zmien il-GENJU Mintoff Malta saret vera pajjiz
fuq il-mappa bil-banek taghha, Airmalta, Seamalta, housing estates kbar u
zbieh fkul-lokal ghal haddiema, industrial estates, penzjonijjiet, children
allowances, bonuses fi ftit kliem bena Malta mil pediment minajr ma halla
solt dejn ghanzi il fuq min-BILJUN Euros fil-kaxxa. Xi tghidilhom liz-zaghzagh
dwar il-Malta file u il-laqghat u meetings li kienu jghamlu shabek barra biex
ixewxu lil barrani ma jigix jiftah fabbriki Malta u ma jibghatux vapuri id-drydocks. Possibli dawn it-tradituri jemmnu li ghad iridu jaghtu rendikont
lil Mulej. Kullhadd jaf jissellef u jberbaq u jpaxxi lil tal qalba pero dawn ma hemmx infern li jeshom. Kemm miljuni tberbqu fix-xejn u sparixxew, min
akkwista, viva l-gvern mhux hekk.
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Karl Stagno-Navarra this message board seriously needs a moderator
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Let us moderate our tones here...
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Lil martin Borg ma stednuhx ghall-BBQ u se jaghmel wiehed meta jiehdu l-gvern elezzjoni ohra.. About time li tehduh il-gvern ghax nofs Malta ma jiftakru qatt lill-MLP fil-gvern. Xortihom tajba dawn. Ma jafux x'infern ghaddejna minnu taht ir-regim. Issa biex ipattulna malli jirbhu l-elezzjoni li jmiss se jrahhsu d-dawl, l-ilma u l-gass, irahhsu l-hajja, addio waitning lista l-isptar u l-qorti, addio droga u serq...il-problema jekk il-flieles imutu qabel ma jfaqqsu bhalma gara tliet snin ilu.
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@De Martino...il Partit anti demokratiku tieghek ser jorganizza shuttle ghal qamar qabel l-elezzjoni li gejja biex nies stupidi u njoranti u insensittivi bhalek jaharbu min hawn Malta u ma jigux aktar l-hawn....Nispera li ser taqta ticket...Smajtni ja nazzjonalist ippatentjat!!!
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@Malti kburi
if you still believe that gonzi will honour anything he says, you'll believe anything !
It's better if you go and get your IQ tested.
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is soltu purcinellata...Kompli ohlom Malti kburi...x'imhatra li wara s-sajf l-Airmalta taghlaq u tkecci l-kulhadd. Imbaghad naraw jekk l-MHRA tiftahx kawza lil Gvern. Kollox tar ramel...xejn sod. Dan il Gvern kisser kll monument li ghamel Gvern Laburista...issa wara l-elezzjoni li gejja morru oqghodu bil katina ma Kastilja ghax taparsi thobbi lil Malta. Il verita hija lil PN partit tal hdurija u l-ipokrezija...u il PL jrid jittrattakom l-istess bhal ma trattajtu lil haddiem Laburist dawn is snin kollha. Sehta fuq Malta gibtu...Misskom tisthu jekk tafu kif!!!
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Well done pilots for calling off the strike.I hope that the Government really put up the sleeves and start working collectively with the worker,as time is very critical.Well done to both sides for the positive outcome.
I hope that those who are still eating the big chunks from the Airmalta cake,will be dealt with, very soon, as in the end,everyone is to suffer.Airmalta should be given a level playing field,with the low cost Airlines of which MHRA is so keen to subsidize indiscriminately against Airmalta, from EU funds.
Last but not least hope Gonezi will honour his word about turning Airmalta around,unlike the letter he sent to the Airmalta workers 3 years ago!
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@demartino
kemm int vojt,kif qallek alan smith il-maggoranza tal-piloti huma nazzi. u sa fratant dawn taw l-appogg taghhom lil minn imexxi l-union.
Taf meta niccelebraw b' bbq meta niehdu l-gvern elezzjoni ohra u nsajru l-hniezer imsemna mit-taxxi taghna.
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Mr Demartino apparently only 30 of the 147 pilots currently with air malta joined during labour governements and it is said that out of those 147 only 20 are labour voters. Go figure
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Common sense prevailed
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Il-Partit laburista se jorganizza BBQ f'xatt il-bahar biex jiccelebra l-ftehim milhuq u jirringrazzja lill-pilates tas-sens komun li wrew.
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The Government should let the CEO carry out what he is being paid for. Last time when Ernst Funk was employed to re structure the Airline, the same thing happened and they all went crying to the then Minister in charge Austin Gatt. What happened ? some workers got a wage freeze while others got nice contracts and promotions.We all know by now the result of that re structuring. I never believed the pilots would strike now, not that its not within their right but it would have been madness to pursue that course of action. Its time now to work together and ensure a level playing field with Government persuaded to withdraw the subsidies it is giving to LCAs and MHRA Hoteliers from tax payers money. Am sure this would help Air Malta to recover lost ground.
Igor P. Shuvalov •
Mr Sciberras: They were trying to secure a better deal for Air Malta with MIA, improving the performance of Air Malta, seeking new opportunities on cargo, etc. They were trying to draw the attention of the general public that it was not fair to put all the ills of Airmalta on its workers... that restructuring does not mean just shedding off workers, but having a good look at the mal-practices, the fees being paid for work being farmed out, etc.
Was this a waste of time?
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Dominic...it taxxa ta 23 euro fuq kull seat nehilkom jew le?...Paroli biss. Nazzjonalisti ma Nazzjonalisti...Il PL fil Gvern biss jrid jkun biex icaqlaq l-affarijiet!!!! Oqghodu busu il warrani tal HOTELIERS!!!!!
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Pajiz bla bajd.
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I WAS BEING SARCASTIC THERE...OF COURSE.
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What a farse.
What was Domenic trying to achieve?
What a waster of time and energy.
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LOVELY...
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
