The European Parliament has no legal status to recognize or not sovereign status of governments

The European Parliament has no legal standing to recognize or not the sovereign and diplomatic status of governments, Maltese MEP Alfred Sant told the European Parliament when abstaining on a resolution calling for the recognition of the Opposition in Venezuela as the rightful government.
“Nor should it seek to achieve such a standing, despite the empty and absurd claim that it will have been the first EU institution to take a definitive stand on Venezuela. It is meaningless for this Parliament to express definitive judgements on a situation as complex as in that country.”
The Maltese MEP said the current Venezuelan regime descends from the first democratic government of Hugo Chavez that introduced social and economic reforms against a no-holds-barred opposition from right wing forces, all out to defend their vested interests. During the resulting struggle, the Chavez and then Maduro governments committed huge mistakes, became unacceptably authoritarian, delivered for a while on their social promises, but ran the market-based economy into the ground. Allegations of corruption abound.
“I cannot endorse such an administration. Neither though, can I bless an Opposition that has been over the years, thoroughly intransigent, ready to sabotage the actions of a legitimate government, and now openly trades with President Trump for his help to take over the state.” remarked the former Prime Minister.
The Resolution passed with 439 votes in favour, 104 against and 88 abstentions.

Maltese Version – L-EBDA SETGĦA LEGALI GĦALL-PARLAMENT EWROPEW LI JIRRIKONOXXI JEW LE L-ISTAT SOVRAN TAL-GVERNIJIET

Il-Parlament Ewropew m’għandux is-setgħa legali li jirrikonoxxi jew le l-istatus sovran u diplomatiku tal-gvernijiet, qal Alfred Sant fil-Parlament Ewropew meta astjena fuq vot dwar is-sitwazzjoni tal-Veneżwela li jitlob li jirrikonoxxi l-Oppożizzjoni tal-pajjiż bħala l-Gvern leġittimu.
“Dal-Parlament m’għandux ifittex dis-setgħa, minkejja d-dikjarazzjoni vojta u assurda li se jkun l-ewwel istituzzjoni fl-UE li jieħu pożizzjoni definittiva dwar il-Veneżwela. Ma jagħmilx sens li dal-Parlament jesprimi ġudizzji definittivi fuq sitwazzjoni komplessa bħal dik tal-Veneżwela.”
L-MEP Malti qal li r-reġim attwali fil-Veneżwela ġej mill-ewwel gvern demokratiku ta’ Hugo Chavez li introduċa riformi soċjali u ekonomiċi minkejja oppożizzjoni ħarxa tal-forzi tal-lemin biex jiddefendu l-interessi tagħhom. Il-gvernijiet ta’ Chavez u ta’ Maduro ikkommettew żbalji kbar f’din it-taqbida. Dawn il-gvernijiet saru awtoritarji. Għal ftit implimentaw il-wegħdiet soċjali tagħhom, iżda daħħlu l-ekonomija tas-suq fil-ħajt waqt li kien hemm allegazzjonijiet ta’ korruzzjoni.
“Ma nista’ qatt napprova din l-Amministrazzjoni. Lanqas nista’ nbierek l-Oppożizzjoni li tul is-snin kienet intransiġenti, lesta biex tissabotaġġja l-azzjonijiet ta’ gvern leġittimu. L-istess Oppożizzjoni issa qed tinnegożja mal-President Trump biex jgħinha tieħu t-tmexxija tal-pajjiż.
Ir-riżoluzzjoni għaddiet b’439 voti favur, 104 kontra u 88 astenzjoni.