People • 16 March 2003

Harry Vassallo: The man of the moment

Dr Harry Vassallo has become the focus of great attention in the media over the past few days. Not that Vassallo was not in the news before, but it would seem now that the future of Malta might depend on him and his party. Julian Manduca caught up with him this week

When he spearheaded the then ‘Green Movement’ a long twenty years ago, Vassallo could not have known that his decisions and those of the party he was to lead could be so crucial.

While the outcome of the referendum EU membership is crystal clear the general elections remain an open question.

The talk of the town is the possibility of a Nationalist Party coalition with Alternattiva Demokratika.

Already the Malta Labour Party has made moves to scupper such a coalition while many on the pro-EU side would like to see AD join a coalition with the PN.

Should AD join the PN for the upcoming elections the future of Malta’s political landscape could be changed forever.

Not only might it mean Malta would be assured of joining the EU and have a PN led government for the next five years, but Malta might be set to enjoy an effective three party parliament for the first time in its history. More importantly, in that scenario, a situation might arise where major problems that have plagued these isles for the past decades because of the polarity of our two-party system, might start to be solved.

The possible advantages to Malta and the Maltese must not be underestimated. We may really be facing the most important turning point in our brief history as a nation.

Vassallo is a charismatic character who has given a new lease of life to the Green Party he leads. He can be volatile with extreme moods swings, but above all Vassallo is a thinker, a philosopher, and that is not, by any stretch of the imagination meant to imply he is not a doer. Often a brilliant orator, with a good mind for metaphor, Vassallo has managed to raise AD’s profile under his leadership.

The Green Party is just coming from a good showing in the Local Elections with three councillors elected. AD is looking confident and ready for the challenges ahead.

"We are very happy with our performance in the Local Elections.

James Camilleri got 10 per cent of the first count votes in Lija and was elected with 19 per cent. That means one in five people in Lija put AD on their voting list. We expected a higher ‘yes’ vote in the referendum, but we are more than satisfied."

The referendum result was almost overshadowed by the antics of the Labour Party and Alfred Sant; Vassallo was not impressed and had this to say:

"Alfred Sant has suffered the last of a series of defeats and only via a public relations coup has he regained control of the party machinery that was slipping from his grasp. Sant was very clearly defeated on an issue on which he had staked everything."

"The last person I know who suffered the mother of all defeats and claimed a victory was Saddam Hussein in 1991. Hussein is a ruthless autocrat, I don’t know what Sant’s excuse is."

"The idea that people that abstain from voting can be counted on one side or another in nonsense, the band club committee in Mqabba know that abstentions don’t count. 91 per cent of the population confirmed abstentions don’t count by going to vote and stating their opinion."

AD is a party in opposition and has been critical of the PN over the past five years. Vassallo believes "The PN has now been given a new lease of life by Alfred Sant and his clique who have turned out to be the best asset to the PN.

"On the whole, though, the PN has been disappointing. The government has been aware of its weakness in popular support. It has been unable to address several vital issues that demand leadership, political courage and imagination. These include rent law reform, public transport and the environment."

AD has its own agenda, is in a better position to tackle certain issues and would like to see change. Vassallo says: "AD offers a clear consistent policy that people can understand and identify with, unlike the other parties that are constrained into necessary hypocrisy to be all things to all people to achieve over 50 per cent support."

"Malta is badly in need of some structural reforms. We cannot hope to have a secure future as long as we have two parties that bring us to the brink and away from democratic crises and dangerous tensions, that produce only zero sum politics in the lulls.

"Zero sum politics by cancelling each other out during the quieter moments. The MLP and PN are definitely shells of their former selves. One cannot speak of left and right in Maltese politics today. There is a considerable overlap in the centre and one can safely say that in several areas the parties have taken over one another’s positions."

The idea that AD could form an alliance with PN has made the headlines with L-Orizzont speculating about possible outcomes.

"We have stated that we would consider an alliance with any party that is prepared to uphold AD policies. The cardinal point at this time is EU membership and we are committed to this cause.

The EU does not mean everything for AD, but certainly it is a crucial factor at the moment: "Joining the EU would mean a leap forward of twenty years. To achieve the same level of progress we expect in the EU may take several lifetimes, should Malta remain out."

"The EU will be very important for Malta economically. Whether we join or not we are facing a dire economic time. Whatever assistance we can get we should welcome.

"It is very obvious that we will have economic advantages through membership and we would be foolish not to join.

"The negotiations with the EU have shown us the wealth of diversity in Maltese society which is suppressed though our political system – one party, one state one government – and therefore tends to exclude every other reality. Outside of the EU we are unable to benefit from this wealth of diversity.

"The structure of the EU allows for and encourages the consultation with and full participation of civil society."

"Perhaps what will also change with EU membership is that we will no longer live double lives. The official version of reality at the moment seems to have little connection with reality. People behave like the rest of Europe, but officially we pretend to be still in the middle-ages."

AD would consider an alliance with either party, but if it is to be the Labour Party there would be some conditions.

"We would not be comfortable forming an alliance with the MLP under its present leadership, even if it changes its views on the EU. I think Alfred Sant’s democratic credentials are gone for ever."

L-Orizzont has speculated that, should an alliance be formed with the PN, Vassallo may be gunning for the environment ministry and AD’s EU spokesperson Prof Arnold Cassola might be offered a post in Brussels.

Vassallo, however, dismissed the speculation: "We will serve the country in whatever capacity the county asks us to serve."

As things stand AD cannot be offered a ministry unless an AD representative is a Member of Parliament. If no AD member is elected it is possible that one could be co-opted. Someone elected on two districts could give up a seat to AD and there is also the possibility that a party could get more votes and less seats in which case the compensation mechanism would come into play and AD could be offered one of the seats. However, Vassallo is emphatic in his belief that the most likely possibility is that an AD candidate will be elected directly.

"It is also possible that two parties could go to an election separately but in coalition and with a declaration to govern if elected, which would mean there would then be three parties in government. In that scenario it would be safe to vote for AD, and whether AD elects members or not, no vote will be wasted."

Should an alliance be formed, and AD attain a seat, or seats in parliament as part of a government, a powerful vehicle for change could be put in place according to Vassallo: "Our very presence in parliament changes the scenario completely. We will no longer have all or nothing confrontational politics, but politicians will be constrained into seeking consensus. Their future will depend on it.

"We hope that this will bring about a culture change within the population. We look forward to a wider and deeper debate within our society.”

The cornerstone of any Green Party is sustainable development. "We would like to push our agenda for sustainable development. Achieving economic growth and a decent quality of life without prejudicing our ability to maintain the same standards in the future.

"Making money now and depriving future generations of benefiting from the natural assets of the country is irresponsible and unsustainable. One cannot eat money."

I ask Vassallo whether AD would see itself making compromises if it forms part of a government.

"If we have the choice between getting everything and nothing, we will try and get something. I have no reason to believe that AD and the PN are so far apart that a working relationship could not be worked out. If we were far apart we would not be considering a coalition."

If AD forms an alliance with MLP or PN it would provide the opportunity for people who do not feel comfortable voting for MLP and PN to vote for the EU. I ask Vassallo whether he would be comfortable to know that his party will gain votes from people that might not agree with AD on other issues.

"We would not know, one has to assume that the people that vote for you agree with you.