News • 01 DECEMBER 2002

Despite calls for unity in pro-EU camp nothing concrete has yet materialised

By Kurt Sansone

SAN GWANN - As the political scenario heads into uncharted waters in the run up to the referendum campaign, Green Party secretary general Stephen Cachia charged that a proposal by his party a couple of months ago for pro-EU movements to come together went unheeded.

Both the Nationalist Party and Alternattiva Demokratika agree with the formation of a pro-EU national movement, however, there has been no formal attempt to create a structure or at least reach an agreement to co-ordinate the respective campaigns.

MaltaToday gauged the political parties’ views on the referendum campaign given that there are different organisations campaigning in both the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ camps.

This newspaper also asked Labour Party Secretary General Jimmy Magro whether the party was considering the formation of a united front between all those against EU membership and whether the party discussed such a possibility within its internal structures. When contacted yesterday by phone Mr Magro said: "I don’t need to answer those questions."

The same question was put to Nationalist Party secretary general Joe Saliba and Alternattiva Demokratika’s Stephen Cachia.

Mr Saliba reiterated what he told this newspaper on 29 May, that Malta’s European membership bid is a national issue and the matter should be treated solely on a national level.

Mr Saliba insisted that partisan politics should be strictly kept out of the issue and all those in favour of Malta’s membership should join forces in a national movement to promote membership.

However, Mr Saliba avoided answering a specific question on whether the Nationalist Party has internally discussed the possibility of formally forming a united front.

The Prime Minister hinted at a new style of campaigning for the referendum when a fortnight ago during the Nationalist Party general conference he called on pro-EU Labourites to vote ‘Yes’ in the upcoming referendum without asking them to abandon their party.

On the other hand, Green Party secretary general Stephen Cachia, while approving of what the Prime Minister said during the Nationalist Party general conference insisted that the issue should be taken one step further.

"A couple of months ago we made a public appeal for all organisations, including the Nationalist Party to join forces with AD and present the electorate with a united pro-membership front, at least for the referendum campaign. However, the response was lacking," Mr Cachia told this newspaper.

He insisted that the EU issue was bigger than any party and everyone should grab the occasion to rise above partisan politics.

"The Green Party fears that the Nationalist Party believes that it can go it alone. This would be a mistake. The people most likely to convince non-PN voters to vote ‘Yes’ are those outside the Nationalist Party and that includes us at Alternattiva," Mr Cachia said.