 |
|
|
|
local
news
Controversial
Didier plays Kissinger
The
flamboyant and outspoken French Ambassador, Didier Destremau, tried
to enlist the help of the former President of the Republic, Agatha
Barbara, in a bid to bring the party leaders to agree over the European
Union, MaltaToday has learned.
Malta is the only applicant country in which there is no political
consensus on EU membership – a situation that causes concern
among many observers and is also believed to cast doubt on the island's
credibility in Brussels.
Mr Destremau, a well-known advocate of EU membership, asked Ms Barbara
whether she might be able to succeed in making Prime Minister, Eddie
Fenech Adami, and Labour party leader, Alfred Sant, reach consensus
on the sensitive issue.
But MaltaToday was told that Ms Barbara refused, partly because
she felt it would mean treating the two leaders of the political
parties like children and also because she was personally against
EU membership.
The former President of the Republic and ex-minister, who was once
a school teacher, is alleged to have said: "The Prime Minister
and Opposition leader are not two schoolboys for me to get hold
of, sit down and order to reach an agreement.
“They are two responsible people. They have their own opinions.
I cannot treat them like two small boys."
Ms Barbara, who is featured in a wide-ranging interview in this
week's newspaper, also said that she would not feel comfortable
urging the two men to find consensus on the EU, since she did not
believe full membership was in Malta's best interest.
She is believed to have said: " I am not against working with
Europe, collaboration is fine, but I cannot advocate becoming a
full member of the EU."
|
|
|
