Labour MEP Prof Edward Scicluna today retaliated to the Prime Minister’s attack on his report on the proposed EU financial stability mechanism, which was adopted by an overwhelming majority by the Parliament’s Economic committee.
The report, co-written by Prof Scicluna and EPP MEP Jean-Paul Gauzès, was approved by 33 votes to 6 with the main political groups, including the EPP of which the Nationalist MEPs are members.
Prof Scicluna, who was criticised by the Prime Minister in the Maltese Parliament last week after he pushed for specific provisions to be added to the treaty change to ensure that Malta and other small EU Member States would be safeguarded by the stability mechanism said:
“This vote demonstrates the blinkered complacency of our Government. The Prime Minister should admit that his government has agreed to a treaty change proposal that could damage Malta’s interest rather than wrongly accuse me of acting “not in the national interest” and of failing to consult with his minister. For the record as soon as I got wind of this Council proposal I had phoned our EU Ambassador Richard Cachia Caruana and had raised this with fellow MEPs including Simon Busuttil and David Casa for their attention during the monthly business meeting held in Strasbourg.
“MEPs from numerous EU nations and political groups including the committee chairwoman UK MEP Sharon Bowles, said that the proposal agreed by Council was ‘dangerous’ and could harm smaller EU countries. That is why we changed it.”
Responding to the Prime Minister’s accusation that his report was “not in the national interest” and “did the country no good”, Prof Scicluna replied:
“The fact that this government’s own European political group, the EPP, disagrees with it on this vital issue speaks volumes. It clearly shows that the Maltese government’s own distorted view is in a minority of one.”
Imwarba kritika tal-Prim Ministru
Gonzi Approvat Rapport ta’ Opinjoni li hadem fuqu l-MEP Edward Scicluna
Hidma tal-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Malti l-Professur Edward Scicluna li l-gimgha l-ohra giet kritikata fil-Parlament Malti mill-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi, il-bierah (it-Tlieta) kisbet appogg assolut fil-Kumitat Ekonomiku tal-Parlament Ewropew. Hidmet il-Professur Scicluna giet approvata bi 33 vot favur u sitta kontra. L-appogg li kiseb il-Professur Scicluna kien jinkludi dak tal-Grupp Politiku EPP li tieghu huma membri z-zewg Membri Parlamentari Ewropej Nazzjonalisti Simon Busuttil u David Casa.
Hidmet il-Prof. Scicluna kienet fuq Rapport ta’ Opinjoni li fuqu kien co-Rapporteur mal-Ewroparlamentari mill-EPP Jean-Paul Gauzes. Ir-Rapport kien jikkoncerna l-proposta tal-Kunsill Ewropew ghal twaqqif ta’ Mekkanizmu ghal Stabbilita Permanenti taz-Zona Ewro. Fil-mod kif proposta mill-Kunsill Ewropew dan il-mekkanizmu ta’ ghajnuna kien jiskatta biss jekk id-diffikultajiet li jkun jinsab fihom pajjiz partikolari kienu jfissru theddida ghaz-Zona Ewro shiha. Il-Gvern Malti kien qabel ma’ din il-proposta.
Prof. Scicluna hadem biex din il-proposta tinbidel u ssir fis-sens li l-Mekkanizmu jiskatta anke jekk id-diffikultajiet li jkun fihom il-pajjiz partikolari ma jkunux ta’ theddida ghaz-Zona Ewro shiha.
L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Malti insista ghal dan ghax huwa kwazi impossibbli li diffikultajiet li jistghu jkunu fihom pajjizi zghar bhal Malta jaffettwaw liz-Zona Ewro shiha, u allura minkejja d-diffikultajiet li jkunu fihom jibqghu ma jibbenefikawx.
Fil-Parlament Malti l-gimgha l-ohra l-Prim Ministru Gonzi ddeskrieva dan bhala “mhux fl-interess nazzjonali” u li “ma jaghmel ebda gid lill-pajjiz”.
Prof. Scicluna rrefera ghall-vot fil-Kumitat Ekonomiku tal-Parlament Ewropew bhala konferma tal-ghamad li mexa bih il-Gvern Malti meta qabel ma’ dak propost originarjament.
“Il-Prim Ministru jmissu jammetti li qabel ma’ bidla proposta fit-Trattat li tista’ tkun ta’ hsara ghall-interessi ta’ Malta u mhux jakkuzani ingustament li ma kontx qed nagixxi fl-interess nazzjonali u li nqast milli nikkonsulta mal-Ministru tal-Finanzi. Irrid nghid, ghal skop ta’ precizjoni, li malli sirt naf bil-proposta tal-Kunsill cempilt lill-Ambaxxatur Malti ghall-Unjoni Ewropea, Richard Cachia Caruana kif ukoll gibt il-kaz ghall-attenzjoni taz-zewg Membri Parlamentari Ewropej Nazzjonalisti Simon Busuttil u David Casa. Ghamilt dan waqt laqgha normali ta’ kull xahar fi Strasbourg,” qal Prof. Scicluna.
Bosta Membri Parlamentari Ewropej minn diversi pajjizi tal-UE u gruppi politici, fosthom ic-Chairperson tal-Kumitat, l-MEP Ingliza Sharon Bowles, qalet li dak li kien ippropona l-Kunsill Ewropew kien ‘perikouz’ u seta jikkawza danni lil pajjizi zghar tal-UE.
Il-fatt li l-EPP, li lilu jappartjeni l-Partit Nazzjonalista, ma qabilx mal-pozizzjoni li ha l-Gvern Malti jfisser hafna. Ifisser bl-aktar mod car li l-opinjoni tal-Gvern dwar hidmet il-Professur Scicluna hija f’minoranza ta’ wiehed.