Alternattiva Demokratika: 'No to unacceptable Gaddafi blackmail'

AD said it was calling upon upon Prime Minister Gonzi and Opposition Leader Muscat to stand up to such tactics.

Prof Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika Spokesperson on EU and International Affairs, stated: “It is totally unacceptable that Muammar Gaddafi, whilst visiting Italy, has urged Europeans to convert to Islam. As a political leader of his country Mr Gaddafi should understand that, in civilised democracies, we do not mix politics with religion.”

“Gaddafi has also asked the EU to give him at least €5 billion a year, or else – he threatened – Europe could become Africanized, through migration. The European Union should not give in to this blackmail and indeed should insist on Gaddafi and Libya signing and ratifying the Geneva convention on human rights instead.”

Cassola said the Maltese Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, should speak up against the disrespect shown by Libya to basic human rights “rather than imitating Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi in his servilism towards Gaddafi.”

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi last night met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Rome and spoke about illegal immigration in the Mediterranean, warning that unless the EU finances € 5 billion a year to Tripoli, "Europe will become Africa."

Gaddafi was speaking during a ceremony that marked the second anniversary since the establishment of a pact between Italy and Libya in a military compound in the outskirts of Rome.

He spoke about illegal immigration and said that unless the EU does not finance Tripoli, millions of African migrants would turn Europe into Africa over time.

He praised what he defined as "courageous" Silvio Berlusconi's stand to condemn Italy's colonial past, and augured further bilateral cooperation between Rome and Tripoli.

Gaddafi's visit to Italy was shrouded in controversy as he irked the Christian world and confessonal parties when he remarked that Europe's destiny is to become Islamic.

The remark caused a political storm in Italy with parties belonging to Berlusconi's already fragile coalition expressing "disgust" at the comment.

Northern League MPs stressed that the remark was offensive, while this morning's paper belonging to the major coalition partner to Berlusconi's government headline, "Let Europe be Christian."