Former Prime Minister and Head of Maltese S&D Delegation Alfred Sant told the European Parliament that the Maltese presidency has passed over to its successor a state of play that in most sectors, gives much hope of further progress soon.
Dr Sant said that some indications regarding future prospects on immigation, Brexit and tax policies can be read from the experience of the Maltese presidency.
First, on immigration, the Union still lacks cohesion, as Prime Minister Muscat has just said. But can this emerge through the normal deliberations that go on under different presidencies, six months by six months under the present process? We need a special effort, remarked Dr Sant.
Secondly, Brexit talks have got off to a slow and ambiguous start. The danger here is that instead of reaching for an outcome that is politically fair and strategically smart, both sides get stuck in details.
Thirdly, issues relating to tax policies and financial services are increasingly being subjected to opaque, many sided calculations at the levels of the Council and Parliament.
Dr Sant said that under the Maltese presidency, some very good work has been done. This is a statement of fact, not indulgence in national feel good.
“There was painstaking preparation for it and an all out commitment to get the job done, that has been acknowledged a number of times already. Unfortunately, meanwhile, efforts were made – in this Parliament too, as we just heard (MEP David Casa had just addressed the European Parliament) – to denigrate the Maltese government with claims that the rule of law was not being respected in Malta. These clumsy allegations did not succeed in derailing the work of the Presidency,” said the Maltese MEP.
Maltese Version – IL-PRESIDENZA MALTIJA KATTRET TAMA GĦALL-PROGRESS FIL-ĠEJJIENI QARIB
Il-Kap tad-delegazzjoni Maltija Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew Alfred Sant qal li l-Presidenza Maltija ċediet ir-riedni u ħalliet lis-suċċessur tagħha ħafna oqsma f’qagħda li jsir progress fihom fil-ġejjieni qrib. Dr Sant qal li jeżistu prospetti tajba fil-qasam tal-immigrazzjoni, Brexit u l-politika tat-tassazzjoni li jistgħu jitkomplew mill-esperjenza tal-Presidenza Maltija.
Dwar l-immigrazzjoni, Dr Sant qal li l-UE għad ma għandhiex biżżejjed koeżjoni, kif qal il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat. “Imma din tista’ toħroġ mid-deliberazzjonijiet li jittieħdu taħt presidenzi differenti, sitt xhur, sitt xhur taħt il-proċess attwali? Hemm bżonn sforz speċjali,” saħaq Dr Sant.
“It-taħdidiet dwar il-Brexit telqu fuq bidu kajman u ambigwu. Il-periklu hawn huwa li minflok jintlaħaq riżultat li huwa politikament ġust u strateġikament intelliġenti, iż-żewġ naħat jeħlu fid-dettalji.” irrimarka l-MPE Malti.
Dwar kwistjonijiet relatati mal-politika tat-tassazzjoni u s-servizzi finanzjarji, Dr Sant innota li qed jgħaddu taħt bosta kalkulazzjonijiet opaki fil-livelli tal-Kunsill u tal-Parlament.
“Taħt il-Presidenza Maltija, sar ħafna xogħol tajjeb. Dan huwa stat ta’ fatt, mhux indulġenza biex nazzjonalment inħossuna tajjeb. Kien hemm preparamenti iebsa għaliha u impenn sħiħ biex issir biċċa xogħol tajba, dan diġa` ġie rikonoxxut kemm-il darba. Sfortunatament, fl-istess ħin, sar sforz – inkluż f’dan il-Parlament, kif għadna kemm smajna (MPE David Casa għadu kif indirizza l-Parlament) – biex ikun ikkritikat inġustament il-Gvern Malti fuq l-akkuża li s-saltna tad-dritt mhux qed tkun irrispettata f’Malta. Dawn l-allegazzjonijiet bl-addoċċ ma rnexxielhomx ixekklu x-xogħol tal-Presidenza,” qal l-Ewroparlamentari Malti.
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