Orchestrated effort to damage Malta’s reputation at the European Parliament

The PPE and the PN are orchestrating a joint effort to attack Malta’s reputation next Tuesday at the European Parliament. A strong faction within the PN that is afraid of losing power, irrespective of whoever may be in government, is trying to avoid this at all costs, by inflicting enormous damages on the whole country. MEPs from other groups who previously criticised Malta’s tax system, mainly from the Greens and the Extreme left, have joined this effort which is endangering thousands of jobs in the financial services sector which constitute 20% of Malta’s economy.
The PPE is being criticised on its handling and defence of the Hungarian Government currently being accused of breaking the rule of law in the country. The European Conversatives are also defending accusations levelled by the European Commision at the Polish Government on the rule of law.
Next Tuesday, MEPs from these groups will attack the Maltese Government on Malta’s taxation system, the Malta Citizen by Investment Programme and the rule of law, said Maltese MEP and former Prime Minister Alfred Sant in a meeting with GWU General Secretary and Union Secretaries.
Dr Sant said that the PPE and the Conservatives have for the last months defended Poland and Hungary who have consistently being accused of breaking the rule of law in their countries.

“Now they have grabbed the opportunity to level the same accusations at the Maltese government and pay back the S&D in which Labour MEPs play an active role,” said Alfred Sant.
Dr Sant said there are people locally who are labelling the country as a mafia state to denigrate Malta.
“These Maltese should be ashamed of themselves for circulating texts aimed at poisoning political groups at the European Parliament. The only exception are the Socialists and Democrats (S&D). I referred to the situation in Malta in a meeting of the S&D Bureau and the S&D group of MEPs. The damage could be incurred on Maltese and Gozitan citizens and workers who are benefitting from the wealth created in Malta during the tenure of the last two Labour Governments. These Maltese are spreading damaging arguments which are harming Malta and its citizens. This damage could be irreperable,” remarked Alfred Sant.
During the meeting GWU secretaries spoke at length with the Maltese MEP on economic and social conditions affecting their members.

Maltese Version – SFORZ ORKESTRAT BIEX ISSIR ĦSARA LIL MALTA FIL-PARLAMENT EWROPEW

Qed isir sforz orkestrat mill-Partit Popolari Ewropew u mill-PN biex nhar it-Tlieta fil-Parlament Ewropew tkun attakkata l-kredibilita’ ta’ Malta. Element li għadu qawwi fil-PN qed jibża’ bil-kbir li jkun min ikun fil-gvern, mhux se jerġa’ jikseb il-poter għax se jitwarrab, u qed jagħmel minn kollox biex jevita dil-ħaġa minkejja d-dannu enormi li se jsir lill-pajjiż kollu kemm hu.
F’dan l-isforz fil-Parlament Ewropew ingħaqdu dawk li jikkritikaw is-sistema tat-tassazzjoni f’Malta u s-settur tas-servizzi finanzjarjarji, li jiġġenera aktar minn 20% tal-ekonomija ta’ Malta u li jipprovdi impjiegi. Il-partiti tal-ħodor u tax-xellug estrem kienu fuq quddiem f’dil-biċċa.
Barra minn hekk, il-Partit tal-Popolari nnifsu ilu jiġi kkritikat għal kif isostni u jiddefendi l-gvern Ungeriż, li hu akkużat li qed jikser l-istat tad-dritt. Fl-istess pożizzjoni jinsab il-grupp tal-konservattivi, li qed jiddefendi lill-gvern Pollakk mill-istess akkużi li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea qed tagħmillu dwar l-istat jew saltna tad-dritt. Dawn iż-żewġ gruppi qed isibu x-xoqqa f’moxtha biex jaraw kif jakkużaw lil Malta bl-istess akkuża.
Nhar it-Tlieta, MEPs minn dawn il-gruppi politiċi se jattakkaw lill-Gvern Malti fuq is-sistema ta’ tassazzjoni, fuq iċ-ċittadinanza u fuq l-istat tad-dritt.
Dan qalu l-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew Alfred Sant f’laqgħa mas-Segretarju Ġenerali u mas-Segretarji tal-General Workers’ Union.

Dr Sant qal li Il-PPE u l-Konservattivi fl-aħħar xhur baqgħu jiddefendu lill-gvernijiet tal-Ungerija u l-Polonja li qed konsistentement jiġu akkużati li qed jiksru s-saltna tad-dritt f’pajjiżhom.
“Issa jridu ipattuha lill-Grupp tas-Soċjalisti u Demokratiċi li l-Partit Laburista Malti huwa membru attiv tiegħu.” saħaq Alfred Sant.
Dr Sant qal li hemm min f’Malta qiegħed ipinġi lil pajjiżna bħala stat mafjuż biex jagħmel ħsara lill-Gvern Malti.

“Maltin li jmisshom jistħu qed javvelenaw l-opinjoni tal-gruppi politiċi fil-Parlament Ewropew u ħlief għall-grupp tas-soċjalisti u d-demokratiċi, it-testi li ġew ċirkolati huma maħsuba biex jattakkaw mill-qiegħ ir-reputazzjoni ta’ pajjiżna. Dwar hekk tkellimt f’lagħa tal-Bureau u mal-grupp tad-Deputati tas-Soċjalisti u d-Demokratiċi. Il-ħsara li qed jagħmlu dawn fostna qed issir liċ-ċittadini u lill-ħaddiema Maltin u Għawdxin li qed igawdu mill-ġid li inħoloq f’pajjiżna taħt l-aħħar żewġ gvernijiet Laburisti. Dawn l-uħud ixerrdu argumenti li jiddaneġġaw lil Malta u din il-ħsara tista’ tkun irreparabbli.”

Matul il-laqgħa s-Segretarji tal-GWU tkellmu fit-tul mal-MEP Malta dwar il-kundizzjonijiet ekonomiċi u soċjali tal-membri fl-oqsma differenti koperti minnhom.