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There is no such thing as tax harmonisation in Europe – Joanna Drake

"Tax harmonisation in the European Union is not on the cards. Any effort to give such an impression is based on false pretences."

This was stated by Dr Joanna Drake, the principal spokesperson for the IVA movement, when she was speaking at a press briefing at the movement’s new premises at Sacra Cuor Street, Sliema.

Dr Drake said that the movement had taken note of very recent statements uttered by the British Conservative leader William Hague on tax harmonisation and the swift reaction by EU Commissioner Frits Bolkestein who had made it abundantly clear that he was not in favour of such a move.

Mr Bolkestein said he was against any harmonisation of income taxes and a Commission spokesman reportedly called the British Conservative claims "scaremongering".

Dr Drake amplified on this and said that different income tax levels and levels of taxation were not a possibility, but the right of every sovereign state.

She emphasised that Maltese and Gozitans had to be cautious of those who worked to give inaccurate descriptions of how the European Union functions.

Dr Drake said that these false arguments were championed by various spokespeople in Europe such as Margaret Thatcher, the former Conservative Prime Minister and Umberto Bossi, the fiery secessionists leader of Lega Nord.

Asked by a journalist whether IVA was reacting specifically to Dr Alfred Sant’s comments on tax harmonisation, Dr Drake said that IVA was only interested in getting the right message across and it would address the issues irrespective of who was passing judgement.