The European Union Prize for Literature will be breaking its rules to award a Maltese author for a book published by the Labour Pary’s publishing arm, Sensiela Kotba So?jalisti. Aleks Farrugia, a Freemason, Labour Party supporter and activist, and government-appointed director to the Culture Directorate and Site Manager for Valletta as UNESCO World Heritage Site, will be awarded a prize for his pseudo-satirical and very mediocre novel “Ir-Re Borg”.
There are many aspects to this story. Firstly, the most important aspect of this story is the brazen way how the Labour Party is hijacking our culture industries to push its agenda. Secondly, and what is very surprising in this story, is that the EUPL is allowing the Maltese judges to break the rules and nominate a book published by the Labour Party.
The Labour Party’s publishing arm that published this book is chaired by Anthony Degiovanni, a Labour troll and activist who spends most of his time smearing Labour Party opponents in public and with fake profiles on social media – apart from sending me the regular and daily threat. He mellowed down on the threats he used to send me on a daily basis (“I spit in your face” and that sort of thing) after I coincidentally bumped into him in Valletta in public this year and he nearly wet his pants in fear.
Then there is the aspect of the Maltese judges who have awarded this book not for any literary merit (the book is incredibly mediocre and supposedly “satirical”), but for knowing very well that rewarding the Labour Party with prizes, would help them in their careers and public contracts.
This is the kind of corruption, sleaze, and mediocrity that gives me the motivation to stay on in the publishing industry and keep fighting despite the gargantuan challenges that independent people like me have to face. The structural reality of what is going on right now in our culture industries is very clear. The Labour Party is taking over our culture industries and is trying to damage the business of its opponents while rewarding its members and allies. The results of Labour’s takeover of our culture industries are very damaging and enduring, We have a long way to go to regain a sense of independence and positive growth in our culture industries, as many authors and artists have also conveniently chosen to ingratiate themselves with the government – it’s also why you barely hear any artists or writers say anything against the government.
On a personal note, this prize is a grave insult to actual and independent professionals in the book industry like myself who have to fight, constantly and on a daily basis, unfair and illegal government competition in our market. We will never forget it.
Website Editor
Historian and Publisher
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