Malta a threat for summer 2016

66POSTS

9 years ago

Hi all,

I really don't like to post this kind of subject, but was wondering what the situation was and your thoughts and opinions on the matter. I keep coming to some articles online about the threats to Malta and the EU shorelines (beaches) of Italy and wanted to know what your thought was, especially with the whole influx of refugees and Malta's geographic position of the neighboring countries.

I don't want to use the "T" word lightly, but was wondering if it Is still really safe there as i'm now worried as my next trip to Malta is planned for end of July...

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nilonilonilo Contributor

163POSTS

9 years ago

As far as i know, there is no concrete evidence of terrorist risks here. What do you know that we don't? What are you basing yourself on? "Some articles online" ...

Also, there is currently no influx of refugees.

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/ … 6736156681

This one for example....

GozoMo Malta Expert

2212POSTS

9 years ago

I would be more worried living in Germany

socialwhirl Serial expat

215POSTS

9 years ago

Read some different articles, this is one of the safest places to live!!!

F0xgl0ve Malta Expert

1976POSTS

9 years ago

MrCowboyEast wrote:
Hi all,

I really don't like to post this kind of subject, but was wondering what the situation was and your thoughts and opinions on the matter. I keep coming to some articles online about the threats to Malta and the EU shorelines (beaches) of Italy and wanted to know what your thought was, especially with the whole influx of refugees and Malta's geographic position of the neighboring countries.

I don't want to use the "T" word lightly, but was wondering if it Is still really safe there as i'm now worried as my next trip to Malta is planned for end of July...

If you are thinking like that already, I would not come here!

I travel and stay in Bavaria often and have noticed the ever increasing number of 'refugees' ( many, many more than there are in Malta) begging on the streets of Munich many of whom could be the very people you are talking about, but I do not worry about it!

Ray

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

I did not mean to insult anyone and i'm sorry if I have, but I did not write this article and I would not think that its so weird to be in fear especially at the times we are living in.... Yes you are right about Germany, and I can also see what is happening, I just wanted a nice kind reply as to: "relax, nothing to worry about"... not "get a life!"

Again, sorry if I offended.

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

F0xgl0ve wrote:
If you are thinking like that already, I would not come here!

Additionally I did not ask you whether or not to come somewhere so keep your comment to yourself. Thanks

F0xgl0ve Malta Expert

1976POSTS

9 years ago

MrCowboyEast wrote:
F0xgl0ve wrote:
If you are thinking like that already, I would not come here!

Additionally I did not ask you whether or not to come somewhere so keep your comment to yourself. Thanks

No problem!

Will be in Munich next month, do I need to worry about it?

Ray

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

#10

F0xgl0ve wrote:
Will be in Munich next month, do I need to worry about it?

If you are as charming face to face as you are behind a keyboard, then yes you should worry about it.

MaltaCommando Contributor

156POSTS

9 years ago

#11

From it's geographical position you would thought the contrary, but I would say it is one of the safest places to be, from that kind of threat. It's not that there aren't muslims around here, but somehow you don't feel that there could happen anything of the sort, and I think it has never happened.

It is, in my opinion, far riskier to be in Brussels, London, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona and all of France.

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

#12

MaltaCommando wrote:
From it's geographical position you would thought the contrary, but I would say it is one of the safest places to be, from that kind of threat. It's not that there aren't muslims around here, but somehow you don't feel that there could happen anything of the sort, and I think it has never happened.

It is, in my opinion, far riskier to be in Brussels, London, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona and all of France.

Thank you MaltaCommando! I was really thinking as Malta to be a stepping stone to EU. LIke a pit-stop or something only due to its geographic location. I dont know how the Marina is handled and security out on the sea?

MaltaCommando Contributor

156POSTS

9 years ago

#13

Most migrants end up in Sicily. Around Marsa the concentration of sub-saharian Africans is quite high, but maybe because there is not many Arabs or muslims from other countries there isn't problems, I don't know.

There is an acceptable amount of patrol boats, and the navy has it's base in Marsamxett Harbour where the main yacht port is located. There have been some cases of smuggling. I would say the authorities are as efficient or as corrupt as with any major european country, maybe as there is less coast to defend there is more chances you can find a police patrol boat than in other countries.

bernie_iris_fabian_david Serial expat

337POSTS

9 years ago

#14

Hi Eastern Cowboy

I can understand why you're asking this question, as there is a lot of worrying about this in Germany and Austria - the governor of the Austrian federal state I'm from (Tyrol - which borders Italy), for instance, keeps demanding a closure of the border to Italy "to save our beautiful country from being overrun by immigrants"... So lots of people back home have asked me the same and kind of suggested that I'm crazy for going to a country that "must be literally overrun by refugees due to its geographical location"... But at least from what I've seen, there's no real threat or problem here - and as for terrorism: I think others have said the same in different posts; Malta is, imho, simply too small and irrelevant for a large attack - I mean, the whole island is smaller than a larger European city...

So, terrorism or other threats / problems related to refugees and immigrants are the last things I'd worry about in Malta... Traffic is much higher on the list

(There was a collision of two cars just outside our flat, that's why I'm bringing this up... No-one hurt, and just some dents and a bit of oil lost on one car... But it took the traffic wardens over 3 hours to come, and then the police came, too - and of course, the cars could not be moved until then... So from 7:30 till 11:30 the crossroads was blocked... That's Malta

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

#15

Thanks for the detailed info, exactly my thoughts. What about Malta being mainly Catholic and filled with Brits? Does that not come into factor?

MaltaCommando Contributor

156POSTS

9 years ago

#16

There was also a car accident in front of my flat in St. Paul's Bay, nothing major, just one driver limping a bit, and the usual 2-3 hours of traffic jam. Certainly, driving, cycling or crossing the road is the most dangerous moment you will have on the island.

F0xgl0ve Malta Expert

1976POSTS

9 years ago

#17

MrCowboyEast wrote:
Thanks for the detailed info, exactly my thoughts. What about Malta being mainly Catholic and filled with Brits? Does that not come into factor?

Malta is not filled with Brits!
In 2014 the figures showed just 4,000, not exactly filled. Less than 1% of the total population!

What should Malta being mainly catholic have to do with anything? If terrorists want to attack someone they will, they even attack those of their own religion.

Ray

kiwi dan Active member

71POSTS

9 years ago

#18

F0xgl0ve wrote:
....
In 2014 the figures showed just 4,000, not exactly filled. Less than 1% of the total population!
....
Ray

Genuinely not trying to appear cantankerous here - but I assume that would be based on permanent residency, what percentage of tourist are British and how many of them are kicking around on any given summers day?

FWIW we're back in Gozo during August and September for a few weeks and this sort of thing (the big t....!) never even crossed my mind, I just don't see it as relevant to Malta. Surely there is more chance of major carnage due to attacks and persecution from jellyfish than ISIS?

Dan

felinefine81 Serial expat

232POSTS

9 years ago

#19

Moving over shortly and I am mostly worried about the danger from mosquitos, rogue fireworks, traffic, dog poo and now thanks to kiwi dan... persecution by jellyfish! 😁

Everything you read about Malta says how safe it is, I would be more worried in the UK, Germany, France etc.

In reality something could happen anywhere in Europe, I don't think it is something that should influence a decision - personally I couldn't live my life that way. It is almost letting terrorists take something from your life!

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

#20

Hahah, I agree with you all! I should move to Malta immediately for my own safety

Vagrant Active member

96POSTS

9 years ago

#21

This must be about the safest place I have ever visited or lived in ever.

GPLW Active member

50POSTS

9 years ago

#22

Terrorists are looking to create fear and make headlines. In my opinion, nowhere is safe and everywhere/everybody can be a target. As security services inrease protection of prime targets (Heathrow, Euro 16, aircraft, etc) terrorists will turn to easier targets (Brussels airport, concerts, underground railways etc).

Malta certainly fits into the category of an easier target. The security services are poor and the general laid back attitude does not help. The only time I have seen good security at the airport was during the two international meetings, one on migration and the other the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, and for these foreign troops were brought in to help. Given Malta's reliance on tourism, any incident would create fear and attract headlines and its proximity to Libya and the smuggling routes into Malta and southern Europe makes access for terrorists easy.

Am I going to leave Malta because my perception of the threat? No. Have I changed my behaviour? Yes. Will I continue to travel? Yes. Will I visit certain countries? No.

Would I come to Malta given my perception of the threat? Difficult to answer, as my perception has changed because I have learnt more through living here.

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

#23

GPLW wrote:
Would I come to Malta given my perception of the threat? Difficult to answer, as my perception has changed because I have learnt more through living here.

Do explain please...

GPLW Active member

50POSTS

9 years ago

#24

Smuggling between North Africa is big business. Ask why there are so many applications for new fuel stations and why so many of the existing ones demand cash only. Of course not all fuel stations break the law. The recent small plane crash landing in the sea at Xlendi. Add in drug smuggling and poor security at the Freeport, with a container load of cigarettes disappearing. Security at Luqa is worse than any airport I used when I lived in West Africa (Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso and others) with planes taking off without passengers but with their luggage, passengers wandering onto the tarmac, free-for-all parking in front of the terminal and etc.

I knew none of these things when I moved here permanently in 2012 and were not known when my house was bought in 1969, so my perception has changed. Also the threat has changed.

Will there be another terrorist incident in Europe this summer? Probably. Will it be in Malta? Probably not but I don't accept the viewpoint that 'little Malta' is not a target.

F0xgl0ve Malta Expert

1976POSTS

9 years ago

#25

Terrorists want world headlines, Malta would not get them world headlines.
There are many companies for instance don't even have it on there list of countries, Apple for one and probably a lot of countries don't know where it is either !

Petrol stations opening up for smuggled petrol? They might get supplies via 'iffy' officials , but smuggle a tanker in to the country!

A plane crashed in Xlendi, had to be drug smugglers of course, they might have picked somewhere quieter!

Illegal immigrants don't want to come to Malta they want to go to mainland Europe and only come here if picked up when sinking and most of those are taken to Italy!

Ray

GPLW Active member

50POSTS

9 years ago

#26

Headlines. Any terrorist activity which involves deaths in Europe will get headlines.

Smuggled fuel is big business. Tankers are offloaded at sea into other boats. The most recent article: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/vi … -un.605334

Plane crash. Exactly, drug smugglers but a route for drug smugglers is a route for terrorists. The people involved in smuggling cigarettes across the Sahara are the same people involved in kidnapping European/American workers/tourists who may then be sold to terrorists. I know the people mentioned in this article; she has now been released. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article … eedom.html

Illegal immigrants and refugees are not terrorists but terrorists can and do follow the same routes and one or more (?) of those involved in the Brussels incident used the same route as the Syrian refugees.

MaltaCommando Contributor

156POSTS

9 years ago

#27

I find quite hard to believe the figure of 4,000 brits living in Malta. I think most people dont bother to register but live anyway.

Malta would give notorious headlines, but more than headlines, when there is really threat is when there is a large, substantial muslim origin population which is depressed or full of hate which is something that France, Belgium, USA or England has.

Security in the airport might not be too good, but at least for my experience they are quite alert when scanning luggage, something which is not so in Italy or Spain, where I have passed by error cutters, scissors and knifes and only realized once at home.

mantasmo Contributor

194POSTS

9 years ago

#28

MaltaCommando wrote:
Security in the airport might not be too good, but at least for my experience they are quite alert when scanning luggage, something which is not so in Italy or Spain, where I have passed by error cutters, scissors and knifes and only realized once at home.

Was that recently? My experience is the exact opposite - Barcelona, Madrid, Bergamo... strict controls, hand luggage scanned/searched, security personnel everywhere. Definitely much different from like 6-7 years ago.

Spent maybe four nights waiting for flights (connections) in Barcelona airports last year. Police officers all over the place in groups of 4-5. Every 100 meters. Day and night.

As for the number of Brits living in Malta... there are definitely way more than 4000. You can see them everywhere, all the time. All over the place. Not that it's a bad thing. I think most come over for 3-6 months at a time and don't bother with all the paperwork.

MaltaCommando Contributor

156POSTS

9 years ago

#29

Well, I am speaking of the last 4-5 years (as I fly every year lately), but I passed two cutters without noticing just past summer in Girona airport, and in the same summer in Malta they noticed scissors on my grandmothers luggage.

MrCowboyEast Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

#30

Wow... I started this post, and the train incident with the axe guy happens in my city? If this isn't an eye opener for me, nothing is...

Additionally I'm on my way to London now and am freaking out...

mantasmo Contributor

194POSTS

9 years ago

#31

MrCowboyEast wrote:
Wow... I started this post, and the train incident with the axe guy happens in my city? If this isn't an eye opener for me, nothing is...

Additionally I'm on my way to London now and am freaking out...

Why are you freaking out? We live in strange times sure... but much of Europe is still a significantly safer place than it was in say 1980s or even 1990s...

matm911 Serial expat

656POSTS

9 years ago

#32

Nowadays threats are everywhere and everyone is affected: terrorists, climate change, air pollution, chemicals in our food, diseases ...

I'm worried about the recent jellyfish influx at our beaches

Nange Serial expat

222POSTS

9 years ago

#33

I'd say the biggest threats are from second hand smoke (unless you smoke yourself in which case Malta will suit you fine) and crossing the road. You may also slip on one of 10 million cigarette butts littering the island.

BrightBug Active member

36POSTS

9 years ago

#34

There is security around the island, there are government and private security boats. I met someone working for one of the private firms and he was telling me about it and pointed out all the security boats in the harbour that I didn't notice at first but they look like tanks! There's a lot of security just maybe not highly visible.