BREXIT will increase pressure on common euro treasury

“Brexit will increase the pressure on all EU countries to join the Eurozone, the pressure to create a common Euro Treasury and the harmonisation of taxes across all EU member states. I am convinced that the Maltese Government will remain focused on these developments and safeguards Maltese interests. I am convinced that the Maltese Government will safeguard economic developments in tourism, financial services and the educational sectors. UK tourism to Malta will depend on the UK economy and there may be positive developments in activities in Malta related to duty free products. British services pensioners will not be affected by BREXIT, except for the rate of exchange between the euro and the British Sterling,” said Former Prime Minister and MEP Alfred Sant when he addressed a packed audience in Birzebbugia during a Conference on ‘Malta and Brexit’. Dr Sant was interviewed by journalist Karl Stagno Navarra.
“The effects on Maltese exportation to the UK must be analysed. One of the first effects of BREXIT was the De La Rue decision to keep operating from Malta to secure their presence in the EU. This came during the same time that the Maltese Government brought CRANE to Malta,” said Dr Sant.
Malta has historical, cultural and familiar ties with the UK. Maltese students prefer to pursue their higher studies in the UK, tourism from the UK almosts amounts to 50% of arrivals. Malta has in the past used its connections with the UK to introduce financial services. Nonetheless divergencies between Malta and the UK have increased due to the fact that Malta, contrary to the UK, is in the eurozone and in the Schengen area.
During the past 20 year Malta attracted financial services which contributed enormously to the local economy. Malta, Holland and the UK were vociferous in favour of financial services in the UK. This was in sharp contrast with Germany’s and France’s positions on the same subject. “In this case Malta will lose a strong ally who defended the operations of financial services in the UK and in our country.”
Reacting to Michel Barnier’s comments on the possibility of no agreement being reached between the UK and the EU, Dr Sant said that this possibility exists but this would involve uncertainty and economic collapse between the two sides. British MEPs still hope that the UK will remain in the EU. Former British PM Tony Blair is suggesting there could be another Referendum in the UK on the final negotiations betweenthe UK and the EU. Germany and France have already agreed on new projects in the absence of the UK, which todate is the second largest economy in the EU. “I exclude nothing personally, but the urge for BREXIT is still there.”
The two main political parties in the UK agree that the BREXIT Referendum was decisive, but disagree on BREXIT negotiations. On the other hand the EU has a common front and a ‘smart position’ on the negotiations and the on future relations between the two parties. Todate one meeting between the two sides has been held and the process is complicated on subjects like immigration and EU citizens living in the EU and vice-versa. What will happen to the 3 million EU citizens living in the UK and to the one million UK citizens living in the EU?
The EU is also contemplating compensation on commitments which include present and future financial current and capital committments which has already been agreed by the UK which amount between €60 billion and €120 billion, remarked the Maltese MEP.

Maltese Version – “BIT-TLUQ TAR-RENJU UNIT MILL-UE TIŻDIED IL-PRESSJONI GĦAL TEŻORERIJA WAĦDA TAL-EWRO”

“Bit-tluq tar-Renju Unit mill-UE żgur se tiżdied il-pressjoni biex il-pajjiżi kollha tal-UE jidħlu fiż-żona Ewro. Se tiżdied il-pressjoni wkoll għal Teżorerija waħda tal-Ewro u sistema waħda ta’ taxxxi mal-pajjiżi kollha tal-UE. Ċert li l-Gvern Malti se jibqa’ ffokat fuq dawn l-iżviluppi biex jibqa’ jħares l-interessi tal-Maltin u l-Għawdxin fis-setturi ekonomiċi, fit-turiżmu, fis-servizzi finanzjarji, il-qasam edukattiv. It-turiżmu Brittanniku f’Malta wara t-tluq tar-Renju Unit mill-UE jiddependi mill-ekonomija fir-Renju Unit u jista’ jkun hemm sinjali pożittivi oħra fil-qasam tad-Duty free f’Malta. Il-pensjonanti tas-servizzi Ingliżi mhux se jiġu affettwati ħlief għar-rata tal-kambju bejn l-Isterlina u l-Ewro. Bit-tluq tar-Renju Unit mill-UE, ikun analizzat l-effett fuq l-esportazzjoni. Waħda mill-ewwel effetti tal-BREXIT f’Malta kienet id-deċiżjoni li De La Rue jibqgħu joperaw f’Malta biex ikollhom sieq fl-Unjoni Ewropea. Dan sar fl-istess żmien li l-Gvern Malti ġab lejn Malta il-fabbrika CRANE mill-Istati Uniti.”
Dan qalu l-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Maltija fil-Parlament Ewropew Dr Alfred Sant li kien intervistat minn Karl Stagno Navarra f’Konferenza f’Birżebbuġa dwar ‘Malta u l-BREXIT’
Dr Sant qal li fl-aħħar 20 sena Malta attirat servizzi finanzjarji b’kontribut enormi lill-ekonomija Maltija. Malta, l-Olanda u r-Renju Unit kellhom vuċi b’saħħitha dwar is-servizzi finanzjarji fl-Unjoni Ewropea kontra l-pożizzjoni tal-Ġermanja u Franza li togħrokhom għajnejhom bl-operat tas-servizzi finanzjarji f’dawn il-pajjiżi.
“F’dal-każ Malta se titlef alleat kbir bit-tluq tar-Renju Unit mill-UE li kellha vuċi qawwija favur l-operat tas-servizzi finanzjarji f’pajjiżhom u f’pajjiżna.”
Malta għandha rabtiet antiki mar-Renju Unit, hemm rabtiet familjari, studenti Maltin jippreferu li jkomplu l-istudji tagħhom fir-Renju Unit, it-Turiżmu Brittaniku jammonta kważi 50%. Malta tgħallmet ħafna mir-Renju Unit biex introduċiet is-servizzi finanzjarji. Xorta waħda fl-aħħar snin id-diverġenza bejn Malta u r-Renju Unit żdiedet peress li Malta, kuntrarjament għar-Renju Unit, qiegħda fiż-żona Ewro u fix-Schengen.
Mistoqsi jirreġixxi għad-dikjarazzjoni ta’ Michel Barnier li jista’ ma jintlaħaqx ftehim bejn l-UE u r-Renju, Dr Sant qal li dan ix-xenarju jista’ jseħħ. Iżda dan idaħħal inċertezzi u kollass fin-negozju bejn l-UE u r-Renju Unit. Fil-Parlament Ewropew għad hemm Membri Parlamentari Ewropej Brittanniċi li għadhom jittamaw li r-Renju Unit jibqa’ fl-UE. L-Ex Prim Ministru Tony Blair qed jissuġerixxi li jsir Referendum ieħor fir-Renju Unit wara l-għeluq tan-negozjati bejn iż-żewġ naħat. Franza u l-Ġermanja diġa’ qablu li jiżviluppaw proġetti ġodda flimkien mingħajr ir-Renju Unit, li s’issa għadu t-tieni l-akbar ekonomija fl-UE.
“Personalment ma neskludi xejn, iżda r-rankatatura għall-BREXIT għadha hemm.”
Iż-żewġ partiti politiċi kbar fir-Renju Unit jaqblu li r-Referendum dwar BREXIT huwa deċisiv, mentri l-partiti politiċi huma mifrudin dwar in-negozjati tal-BREXIT. L-Unjoni Ewropea ħadet ‘smart position’ fuq in-negozjati tal-BREXIT. L-UE għandha pożizzjoni komuni dwar in-negozjati biex ir-Renju Unit toħroġ mill-UE u dwar ir-rabta li jkun hemm bejn ir-Renju Unit u l-UE. S’issa saret laqgħa waħda bejn ir-Renju Unit u l-UE u l-proċess huwa kkomplikat inkluż dwar l-oqsma tal-immigrazzjoni u l-persuni tal-UE li jgħixu fir-Renju Unit u viċi versa. X’se jiġri minn 3 miljun Ewropej li jgħixu fir-Renju Unit u minn miljun Brittaniku li jgħixu fl-UE? Il-Gvern Brittanniku ma jridx iġorr aktar piżijiet mill-bqija tal-UE. L-UE qed tinsisti li trid tkun ikkompensata għal impenji finanzjarji tal-lum u tal-futur li r-Renju Unit kien parteċipi fihom bl-obbligi ta’ kontribuzzjonijiet finanzjarji kurrenti u kapitali għall-futur. Qed ikun ikkalkulat li dawn l-impenji jammontaw bejn €60 biljun u €120 biljun, qal Dr Sant.