This is Ian Borg with his wife on a Ryanair flight to Turin this afternoon. They’re not flying on a private break. Ian Borg is accompanied by some of his staff and heading a work delegation there.

Italian law requires all passengers of flights terminating in Italy to wear an FP2 mask. The legal requirement has survived the decision of the European Centre for Disease Control not to require masks throughout Europe. Member States have the option of imposing more restrictive rules and Italy is one of those countries that has kept mandatory masks on long distance travel.

Other passengers of the same flight were reminded of this obligation. Some who did not have masks were sent back to buy one before boarding the plane.

Ian Borg and his missus though are above the law. It’s perhaps fine they do that in Malta but could they have the decency not to offend other countries by flouting their laws when on official business on our behalf?