By Juliana Zammit
Copyright maltatoday
Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg’s nomination of US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize has sparked criticism from prominent figures in Malta, who have questioned the decision, considering Trump’s policies on Gaza and democratic governance.
“I’m trying to understand how Malta, a country that has just recognised the State of Palestine, that always declares itself in favour of a two-state solution, that strongly condemns the genocide happening in Gaza, can nominate for the Nobel Peace Prize the same person who facilitated and encouraged the genocide of Palestinians,” said Sandro Mangion, the former ONE news editor.
Mangion also criticised Trump’s approach to Ukraine, noting that “the same person wants peace in Ukraine by rewarding the aggressor and making the victim give in”.
He further questioned how Malta, led by a party that declares itself socialist and left-wing, could support a politician who has declared the left in his country as “the enemy from within” and who is allegedly using security forces against political opponents and Democratic Party supporters.
Carmen Sammut, Pro-Rector for Student and Staff Affairs and Outreach, described the Gaza ceasefire agreement as “fake” and accused those supporting Trump of being “complicit in genocide”.
Ruben Abela, a former chief executive officer at the Environment and Resources Authority, simply commented: “I hope it’s a joke; if not, we’ve lost it big time.”
Momentum Party also released a statement, calling the nomination “completely misguided” and saying it “undermines Malta’s credibility”.
“For Malta’s Foreign Minister to publicly glorify such a figure not only displays poor judgement but undermines Malta’s credibility as a nation committed to diplomacy, human rights, and peace,” said Carmel Asciak, Momentum spokesperson.
Momentum highlighted Trump’s record of fanning racial tension, undermining democratic institutions, and inspiring the US Capitol insurrection. The group called on Borg to retract the nomination.
Borg added that he was encouraged by what he described as a growing commitment to peace efforts around the world. “I am pleased today to see greater commitment that is bringing us closer to peace,” he said.
Borg announced the nomination after meeting Trump and his wife, Melania, in New York. As chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2024, Borg said he had worked extensively on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, which reached a peace settlement earlier this year.
Borg said he presented the American President with a letter written in his own name, informing him of the nomination. He also noted that he encouraged the President to continue working on the Middle East and Ukraine.”
The Deputy Prime Minister cited Trump’s role in helping to broker peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan as the basis for his nomination.