EU Eurozone Commissioner Olli Rehn last night joined Labour MEP Prof Edward Scicluna in calling for EU governments to put their country’s National Reform Programme before Parliament.
Commissioner Rehn’s statement was in response to questions posed by Prof Scicluna during the Economic Dialogue on the EU’s Country-by-country recommendations convened by the Parliament’s Economic Committee. These recommendations, including Malta’s, will be approved by the Council of Ministers at this month’s upcoming EU summit
Although not mentioned by name by Prof Scicluna, the Commission has stated that Malta is one of the countries where “no reference to the involvement of the National Parliament could be found in the Programme”.
Speaking at the hearing, Prof Scicluna said:
“Member States’ citizens are not even aware of these proceedings, especially so since judging from my experience these reports, were it not that they are published and be available on the internet would not even be known, not having been discussed in the National Parliament for discussion. Now compare this with the National Budget with its yearly ritual and importance given by the citizens of the country.”
“Is this how we want things to be tackled? Where is the national legitimacy? Where is the involvement of the citizens?”
In response, Eurozone Commissioner Olli Rehn said that he “shared the concerns” of Prof Scicluna about the level of awareness of the reform programmes.
“It is the task of each member state to ensure that there is awareness both in National Parliaments and in the wider general public”, he added.
Speaking after the hearing Prof Scicluna said:
“These national programmes are asking our people to accept a number of potentially painful measures including wage freezes, public spending cuts, higher taxes and pension reforms. Yet these programmes have been agreed inBrussels without scrutiny or debate in our national parliament.
“If we want these reforms to be made in a sustainable and long-lasting way then we need to have national ownership.”
IL-Kummissarju Rehn jappoġġja lill-Prof Scicluna fuq it-Transparenza fil-Programmi ta’ Riforma
Il-Viċi President tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea responsabbli mill-Affarijiet Monetarji u Ekonomiċi Olli Rehn, il-bieraћ filgћaxija ngћaqad mal-Ewroparlamentari Laburista, il-Professur Edward Scicluna, fis-sejћa tiegћu biex ir-Rapporti Nazzjonali ta’ Riforma ikunu mressqa quddiem il-Parlamenti Nazzjonali.
Il-Kummissarju Rehn kien qiegћed iwieġeb mistoqsijiet mressqa lilu mill-Prof Scicluna waqt id-Djalogu Ekonomiku fuq ir-Rakkomandazzjonijiet Speċifiċi lill-Istati Membri liema djalogu kien msejjaћ mill-Kumitat gћall-Affarijiet Ekonomiċi u Monetarji. Dawn ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet ħa jkunu approvati mill-Kunsill tal-Ministri aktar tard dan ix-xahar waqt is-Summit Ewropew.
Għalkemm mhux msemmija direttament mill-Prof Scicluna, il-Kummissjoni kienet indikat lil Malta bħala wieħed minn dawk il-pajjiżi fejn “ma hemm l-ebda referenza għall-involviment tal-Parlament Nazzjonali fil-Programm”.
Fil-kummenti tiegħu waqt dan id-djalogu, Prof Scicluna qal:
“Mill-esperjenza tiegћi fuq dawn ir-rapporti, iċ-ċittadini mhumiex konxji minn dan il-proċess fejn li kieku dawk ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet ma jkunux ippublikati fuq l-internet mill-Kummissjoni kieku lanqas biss konna nkunu nafu dwarhom, hekk kif dawn lanqas biss tressqu quddiem il-Parlament Nazzjonali gћad-diskussjoni. Dan jistona bil-kbir meta kkomparat mal-Baġit ta’ pajjiż li gћandu r-ritwal annwali tiegћu u li ċ-cittadini jtuh l-importanza neċessarja.”
“Dan hu l-mod ta’ kif irridu l-affarijiet ikunu affrontati? Fejn hi l-leġittimita’ nazzjonali? Fejn hu l-involviment taċ-ċittadini?”
Fir-risposta tiegћu, Il-Kummissarju dwar iż-Żona Euro Olli Rehn qal li hu “jaqsam l-istess tћassib” tal-Prof Scicluna fuq kemm iċ-ċittadini huma konxji ta’ dawn il-programmi ta’ riforma.
Huwa żied: “Huwa ix-xogћol ta’ kull Stat Membru li jiżgura li jkun hemm iktar għarfien kemm fil-Parlamenti Nazzjonali kif ukoll mal-pubbliku in ġenerali”.
F’kummenti li ta wara s-seduta, Prof Scicluna qal:
“Dawn il-programmi nazzjonali qed jistaqsu lin-nies biex jaċċettaw numru ta’ miżuri li potenzjalment jistgħu ikunu iebsa bћall-iffriżar tal-pagi, tnaqqis tan-nefqa pubblika, taxxi ogћla u riforma fis-sistema tal-pensjonijiet. Madanakollu dawn il-programmi ġew maqbula ġewwa Brussel mingћajr l-ebda skrutinju jew dibattitu fil-Parlament Nazzjonali tagћna.
“Jekk irridu li dawn ir-riformi ikunu magћmula gћat-tul b’mod sostennibili hemm bżonn li bћala pajjiż nagћmluhom tagћna.”
– Tuesday, 12th June, 2012
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