Malta No Asylum for Mafia

I am writing this column from a country in which there is practically no crime. Yes, it is a small country, but it is one that is located in Europe and receives millions of tourists every year. It is called Malta.


I begin with the subject of crime not only because it has taken such a strong hold over us Russians, but also because every time I find myself abroad, I constantly run into locals who, with terrified looks, speak about the "Russian mafia." On Malta, this problem -- knock on wood -- does not exist. Unlike nearby Cyprus, which appears to be completely overwhelmed with our "brothers" and similar characters also starting with the letter "B," here criminal elements from Moscow are swiftly and easily dealt with.


Some Maltese locals recalled that there were some shady figures who bought two hotels there. But just as they had begun to establish their own way of doing things, they were exiled. To this day, the hotels remain empty. Another of our fellow citizens tried to open up a bank account using false documents, and he is still in the local prison. A certain wealthy uncle bought a house in Malta, and thus received a residence permit. But soon after, he got drunk and beat a German tourist unmercifully. The next day his wife called in anger. "Where the hell are you, you drunk?" she asked. And he responded, "I'm calling you from Moscow." The authorities had already had him expelled.


But most surprising of all is the lack of our prostitutes. They also tried to introduce themselves into the country as Russian students in the local university, where they could earn a "good supplement to their stipends," but they were immediately taken care of by the authorities.


It was explained to me that the country is small, and everything is out in the open. Moreover, there are strong political and moral principles, and the police and courts work effectively. And it seems you can make a rather decent living on Malta by doing honest work.


There are already several thousand Russians living in Malta. There is a Russian weekly, Russkaya Gazeta, a third of which is taken from the television programs of ORT, RTR and NTV that are received by satellite, as well as a glossy magazine called Ostrovityanin, or Islander. There, I met an artist, a computer specialist, a poet and a doctor. My acquaintance with Maltese Russians is probably one-sided, but I still had the feeling that the local community was unlike the standard emigr? community of Brighton Beach.


Rather, I associated them with Herzen or Turgenev: These were people who had left Russia for the most various of reasons -- from climatic to political ones -- but who had not lost spiritual or intellectual contact with it. Communications are now better than in the 19th century and there are plenty of occasions for the emigrants to speak with the folks back home, since Russian tourism is increasing exponentially.


Now I'd like to say something about Malta itself. To echo the words of George Orwell, one could say that all countries are unique, but some countries are more unique than others. Malta is a product of a distinctive mix of civilizations and influences: The population is characterized by its Arab origins and language (although it is written in Latin letters), powerful Catholicism, combined with a long rule of the famous order of knights plus English domination during the last two centuries. This is an unlikely cocktail with, as the famous advertisement for chewing gum puts it, a inimitable but steady taste.


Malta is a windy island, and its inhabitants love to hang big flags: the red and white Maltese flag; the yellow and white papal flag; and the knightly flag with a cross.


The number of monuments per square meter on this island could surely compare to that of Italy. (Incidentally, there are three such islands. On the smallest, Kolino, there are only nine permanent residents, including one police officer. But it does have a five-star hotel.) I was particularly struck by the ruins of cathedrals of past civilizations more ancient than the Egyptian pyramids and by the Palace of the Grand Inquisitor, whose interior has been entirely preserved, including the inquisition chambers. There is nothing to say about the island's natural beauty and warm water of the surrounding sea. Unlike most Mediterranean resorts, the water is very clean. And no one begs for money there.


There are two main subjects of national concern: the entry (or non-entry) of Malta into the European Union, and allowing people to get divorced. Families there are now the strongest in the world. The question of abortion, as might well be understood, is not even raised.