On many points, the brexit agreement places the uk at a disadvantage

The future relationship between the EU and the UK is still unknown and most of the agreement that has been reached on Brexit places the UK at a disadvantage. As a result, the political situation in the United Kingdom has become dramatic, said Alfred Sant during the TV programme Kalamita.
Pending a final agreement on their future relationship, the UK and the EU have agreed to negotiate further about how this will be achieved. Meanwhile the UK still has to follow EU regulations without having a say or a vote in them.
“There is no doubt that as an agreement – The Europeans got what they aimed for whilst the British gave up on a lot of things. Eventually if the agreement is ratified, the United Kingdom will feel undermined. This could create a strong resentment against Europeans within the UK and if things turn sour, further problems might be created.” said the Maltese MEP.
Alfred Sant said that during the negotiations, the EU maintained unity by means of a fundamental principle – that the UK cannot leave the EU, and at the same time continue to enjoy certain EU membership benefits while shedding the disbenefits. However within the UK, different political fractions have held too many diverging opinions, within Theresa May’s Conservative Party, as well as within British Labour. Some claim that the government is surrendering too much, while others argue that the government is not open enough. Such arguments are made by those who support Brexit as well as those who are against it.
“Those who are opposing the agreement did not offer any other alternative until now – Some of them are pushing for a total cut, but they are not presenting their scenarios for the future. What is certain is that the large majority of the British people want the country to move forward”.
The Maltese MEP argued that under current proposals, ties between the EU and the UK will not be cut abruptly. For a period of two or more years, things will stay relatively unchanged as future arrangements will be sorted out.
The Irish situation could remain problematic. Apparently, the Irish Government is not fully convinced that the diplomatic solution reached is satisfactory. Meanwhile, Mrs May is getting a lot of criticism and very soon she might be facing a motion of no confidence. Dr Sant said that the BREXIT agreement has been initialled by diplomats from both sides. A second go ahead was needed from the British Cabinet, then further from the British Parliament, as well as from the European Council and later, the European Parliament and National Parliaments.
“There is a lot that is negative for the UK in this agreement and we still have to see whether a second referendum will take place.” said Dr Sant

Maltese Version – ĦAFNA MILL-FTEHIM DWAR IL-BREXIT HUWA TA’ ŻVANTAĠĠ GĦAR-RENJU UNIT

Ħafna mill-arranġamenti dwar kif se jkunu r-relazzjonijiet bejn l-Unjoni Ewropea u r-Renju Unit fil-futur għadhom fl-ajru u ħafna mill-ftehim li ntlaħaq dwar il-firda tal-Brexit bejn iż-żewġ naħat huwa żbilanċjat kontra r-Renju Unit. Minħabba f’hekk, is-sitwazzjoni politika fir-Renju Unit hi drammatika sew, qal Alfred Sant fil-programm televiżiv Kalamita.
Bil-ftehim ir-Renju Unit u l-Unjoni Ewropea qablu li jkomplu jiddiskutu sakemm jaslu għal ftehim aħħari fuq il-futur. Fil-frattemp, ir-Renju Unit jibqa’ taħt ir-regoli Ewropej għal affarijiet importanti mingħajr ma jkollu ċans li jieħu sehem fid-diskussjonijiet u d-deċiżjonijiet dwarhom.
“Għalija ma hemmx dubju li bħala ftehim – l-Ewropej ħadu kull ma riedu u l-Brittaniċi ċedew ħafna u ħafna affarijiet. Eventwalment, jekk jgħaddi l-ftehim, ir-Renju Unit se jħossu milgħub f’din is-sitwazzjoni. Dan jista’ joħloq sentiment qawwi kontra l-Ewropej u r-relazzjonijiet bejn iż-żewġ naħat jiqrasu b’mod li joħolqu l-problemi,” qal l-Ewroparlamentari.
Alfred Sant kompla jgħid li waqt in-negozjati, l-Ewropej żammew għaqda u mxew fuq prinċipju fundamentali – li r-Renju Unit ma jistax joħroġ mill-UE, iwarrab il-piżijiet u fl-istess ħin jibqa’ jgawdi mill-benefiċċji tas-sħubija. Min-naħa l-oħra il-forzi politiċi fir-Renju Unit kienu maqsuma, kemm fost il-konservattivi tal-Partit tal-Prim Ministru May u kemm min-naħa tal-Laburisti Ingliżi. Min jgħid li l-gvern qed iċedi wisq u min jgħid li l-gvern mhux miftuħ biżżejjed, kemm fost dawk li jappoġġjaw il-Brexit u fost dawk li huma kontrih fiż-żewġ partiti.
“Dawk li qed jikkritikaw dan il-ftehim sa issa għadhom ma ħarġux bl-alternattiva tagħhom – Uħud minn dawk li qed jgħidu biex jaqtgħu l-ankri kollha, mhux jgħidu x’se jiġri wara. Li hu żgur hu li fost il-poplu Brittaniku mbagħad, maġġoranza kbira trid li l-pajjiż jimxi ’l quddiem u mhux jibqgħu staġnati fuq din il-problema.”
L-MEP qal li dak li qed jiġi propost fil-ftehim mhux se jaqta’ ż-żarda mill-ewwel anzi se jkun hemm perijodu ta’ sentejn jew aktar fejn l-affarijiet jibqgħu kif inhuma filwaqt li jkun qed jiġi miftiehem kif għandhom jinbidlu. Se jkun hemm żmien ta’ inċertezza imma l-aqwa argument tal-Prim Ministru May hu li ħadd ma ħareġ b’alternattiva oħra, qal Sant.
Il-kwistjoni tal-Irlanda baqgħet intopp kbir u s-sitwazzjoni minn dan il-lat hija staġnata. Il-Gvern Irlandiż mhux konvint li s-soluzzjoni diplomatika li ntlaħqet hija tajba. Intant Mrs May qed taffaċċja bosta kritika u mozzjoni ta’ sfiduċja li dieħla bil-mod il-mod. Dr Sant qal li għalissa l-ftehim ingħata l-ewwel firma mid-diplomatiċi taż-żewġ naħat u issa għad irid jingħata t-tieni firma mill-Parlament Ingliż u mill-mexxejja tal-Istati Membri tal-UE fil-Kunsill Ewropew.
“Hemm ħafna xi tgħid fuq dan il-ftehim u għad irridu naraw hux se jkollu jsir it-tieni referendum. S’issa qed jintqal li le” temm jgħid Alfred Sant.