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Karl Schembri
The prime minister was in an ecstatic mood yesterday as he listed the “great changes” in Malta since EU accession on 1 May, saying European Parliament election next month is “the PN’s nice gift to the people.”
Addressing one of the EP election press conferences which are routinely being broadcast live on Net TV, Lawrence Gonzi said it was remarkable how many things have happened in just eight days.
“Let’s understand what happened in just eight days since our accession,” he said. “I went there (to Ireland for the celebrations) like every other European prime minister…I was treated like all the other Europeans…we got our own Commissioner and MEPs with voting rights…we now have a passport like all the other Europeans which gives us the right to go wherever we like…we removed levies…we removed red tape…we closed Maghtab…all this in just eight days.”
He said he was calling on the people to appreciate the first week of Accession which was possible thanks to the Nationalist Party, whereas the Labour Party had opposed membership.
“The 12 June election is a nice gift we’re giving to the people,” he said.
While acknowledging that Labour’s shift on EU membership after the election was a step in the right direction – even though it had ignored the referendum result – Gonzi said he remained to be convinced about the MLP’s conviction on the issue.
“I didn’t even hear a mention from the Labour camp about Accession on 1 May, not even on Labour-loyal l-orizzont,” he said. “It’s as if nothing happened. That’s why we call for consistency.”
He said Labour would have “got it all wrong” if they adopted the attitude of going “with a sword and shield” to the EU.
Meanwhile, PN Deputy Leader Tonio Borg attacked Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday, saying the Green party would align itself with a “radical left-wing” EP group made of “pro-abortion parties,” conveniently forgetting that abortion and divorce were introduced in some European countries by Christian Democratic governments.
karl@newsworksltd.com
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