When politicians from Malta’s two major parties scapegoat foreigners, Aleksandar Dimitrijevic finds the hypocrisy hard to stomach.  

“Both of Malta’s political powerhouses have economic policies based on magical, perpetual growth,” he tells #TimesTalk, “which by definition means attracting foreign capital and bringing in foreign workers, again and again.”

“To then turn around and blame foreigners for problems is hypocritical”.

Mr Dimitrijevic moved to Malta in the 1990s and has since laid down Maltese roots. Twenty-five years later, he still has to weather tiresome “go back to your country” remarks.

“I’ve been living here longer than I lived in my country of birth, but it [the remarks] still happens,” he says.

His excoriation of Malta’s political class comes on the back of questionable statements about foreigners by Malta’s two major politicians.

First came Adrian Delia’s diatribe about “clans frightening children” and foreign workers in Malta not being “of quality”.

Mr Dimitrijevic cut talk of “high” and “low” quality workers short slack - and not just because of the PN leader's choice of words.  

“One goes with the other,” he noted. Rich passport buyers need cleaners too.

Then Joseph Muscat let slip that he sees foreign workers as model candidates to fill vacancies for rubbish collectors and other tough, physical jobs. 

“Politicians must be held to a higher standard of communication,” Mr Dimitrijevic said, speaking before the Prime Minister admitted that he had been "insensitive".

“Blunt words about foreigners can end with something far worse”.  

Watch the full #TimesTalk interview with Aleksandar Dimitrijevic in the above video.