A major dilemma facing small member EU states like Malta, Cyprus, Ireland and Demark is that while it is in their interests that the EU strengthens controls on security and on tax evasion, these same member states want to maintain their sovereignty to secure their soverignty on national governance involving the major sectors of administration. “A strong Europe is in everyone’s interests, but a federal Europe will silence the voice of these small member states, including Malta,” Alfred Sant told a large audience attending a Conference on ‘The future of Europe’ in Qawra moderated by journalist Manuel Micallef.
Dr Sant said that the recent threats of terrorism across Europe called for the strengthening of existing structures within the Schengen area.
“Controls across Schengen areas, which previously did not exist, have already been introduced. One proposal now includes a similar structure to that of the FBI in the United States to ensure that terrorists do not abuse the Schengen area. It’s in Malta’s interests that Schengen is protected because this makes it easier for tourists to reach Malta.”
Dr Sant said that the European Commission is strengthening its arguments in favour of tax harmonisation across all EU member states.
“It’s in the interests of member states like Malta to maintain their sovereignty over taxation. What’s good for large countries like Germany and France is not necessarily in the interests of the member states on the periphery of Europe. One-size-fits all policies is unfair on matters of taxation for these small countries.”
Dr Sant said that the European economy has picked up to the pre-2008 levels and unemployment is being tackled. Nonetheless precarious work is on the increase, citizens are afraid of immigration and terrorism and populism is on the rise across Europe.
“Divergencies between different regions in Europe are widening further. These divergencies must be addressed because in certain regions, including in East Germany, generations of young people are feeling emarginalised.”
Dr Sant said that the euro must be strengthened, pointing out that it still lacks all certain structures.
“The problem is that a federal system is being proposed to strengthen the euro. Din automatically means that member states will lose their sovereignty in this field.”
Dr Sant said Malta must follow developments in the negotiations between the EU and the UK on Brexit.
“The UK is the second largest contributor to the EU Budget, after Germany. As a nation we must analyse the positive and less positive effects of Brexit. We must reflect on the effects on investments in Malta, on students studying in the UK and on Maltese and Gozitan pensioners after Brexit.”
Dr Sant said Europe must take into account new international developments including the new Trump American policy versus Europe, instability sources created with the post Gaddafi geo-political void, the phenomenon of immigration across central and east Mediterranean, the strategic competition between the EU and Russia and relations with Turkey.
“All these factors will influence and determine the future of Europe”, remarked Dr Sant.

Maltese Version – EWROPA FEDERALI TITFI IL-VUĊI TA’ STATI MEMBRI ŻGĦAR

Id-dilemma ta’ stati membri żgħar fil-periferija tal-UE bħal Malta, Ċipru, l-Irlanda u d-Danimarka hija li waqt li hu fl-interess tagħhom li l-UE tissaħħaħ fil-qasam tas-sigurta’ u fl-evażjoni tat-taxxa, dawn l-istati iridu jkomplu jħarsu s-sovranita’ tagħhom biex jiżguraw kontroll fuq it-tmexxija nazzjonali tal-oqsma ewlenin f’pajjiżhom.
“Huwa fl-interess tal-istati membri kollha li l-UE tissaħħaħ, iżda jekk ikun hemm Ewropa federali il-vuċi ta’ dawn il-pajjiżi tkompli tintilef.”
Dan qalu Alfred Sant Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropea f’laqgħa pubblika fil-Qawra bit-tema ‘Il-Futur tal-Ewropa’ li matulha wieġeb mistoqsijiet tal-ġurnalista Manuel Micallef.
Dr Sant qal li t-theddida riċenti tat-terroriżmu fl-Ewropa wriet li jridu jissaħħu l-istrutturi fiż-żona Xengen.
“Diġa’ kellhom jiddaħħlu kontrolli li ma kinux jeżistu qabel bejn fruntieri fiż-żona Xengen minħabba l-biża’ tat-terroriżmu. Waħda mill-proposti hija li jkun hemm struttura simili għal dik tal-FBI fl-Istati Uniti biex tiżgura li t-terroristi ma jabbużawx miż-żona Xengen. Huwa fl-interess ta’ Malta li tkun imħarsa ż-żona Xengen biex ikun aktar faċli għat-turisti li jaslu f’pajjiżna.”
Dr Sant qal li fil-Kummissjoni Ewropea qed jissaħħu l-argumenti favur sistema li tarmonizza t-taxxi fl-istati kollha membri.
“Huwa fl-interess nazzjonali ta’ stati membri bħal Malta li jkollhom is-sovranita’ fuq is-sistemi ta’ tassazzjoni f’pajjiżhom. Dak li jaqbel għal stati kbar bħal Ġermanja u Franza mhux neċessarjament jaqbel għall-istati membri fit-tarf tal-Ewropa. Ma tistax tlibbes żarbun wieħed lill-istati kollha membri fuq il-ġbir tat-taxxi.”
Dr Sant qal li l-ekonomija tal-UE illum irpiljat, il-livelli ta’ investimenti jinsabu fil-livelli ta’ qabel 2008 u l-qgħad beda jinżel. Minkejja dan qed jiżdied il-prekarjat fl-Ewropa, iċ-ċittadini qed jibżgħu mill-immigrazzjoni u t-terroriżmu u qed jiżdied il-populizmu madwar l-Ewropa.
“Qed ikomplu jiżdiedu d-diverġenzi bejn reġjuni differenti tal-Ewropa. Dawn id-diverġenzi jridu jiġu indirizzati għax f’reġjuni partikolari inkluż fil-Lvant tal-Ġermanja hemm ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ żgħażagħ li qed ħossuhom emarġinati.”
Dr Sant qal li l-ewro trid tkun imsaħħa u bħalissa m’għandhiex l-istrutturi kollha biex titmexxa.
“Il-problema hi li biex tkompli tissaħħaħ l-ewro qed tkun proposta sistema federali li awtomatikament ifisser li l-istati membri jkollhom iċedu s-sovranita’ tagħhom f’dal-qasam.”
Dr Sant qal li Malta trid tkompli ssegwi l-iżviluppi fin-negozjati bejn l-UE u r-Renju Unit dwar il-Brexit.
“Ir-Renju Unit kien jikkontribwixxi –tieni l-akbar parti tal-Bagit tal-UE wara l-Ġermanja.
Bħala Maltin Irridu nanalizzaw kif nistgħu nintlaqtu mill-Brexit. Se jkun hemm fatturi posittivi u fatturi anqas posittivi fil-qasam tal- investmenti, fil-edukazzjoni u fil-qasam tal-pensjonijiet. Irridu naraw kif se jintlaqtu l-istudenti u l-pensjonanti Maltin wara d-divorzju bejn ir-Renju Unit u l-UE”.
Dr Sant qal li l-Ewropa trid tikkonsidra xenarji ġodda internazzjonali fit-tfassil tal-futur tagħha. fosthom l-atteġġjament ġdid tal-politika Amerikana ta’ Trump, is-sorsi ta’ instabbilita’ li inħolqu bil-vojt ġeo-politiku bit-tneħħija ta’ Gaddafi, il-fenomenu tal-immigrazzjoni mill-Mediterran ċentrali u tal-Lvant, il-kompetizzjoni strateġika bejn l-UE u r-Russja u r-relazzjonijiet mat-Turkija.
“Dawn l-oqsma kollha se jinfluwenzaw u jiddeterminaw il-futur tal-UE,” saħaq Alfred Sant.

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