|
James Debono
Labour MP Dr Joe Sammut has joined former Prime Minister and MLP leader Dr Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici and Labour MP Anglu Farrugia in expressing his reservations on the EU Constitution.
Contacted by MaltaToday Sammut confirmed that he has submitted a legal and a political report on the EU’s Constitutional treaty to the Malta Labour Party.
In the legal report Sammut insists that article 1.6 of the EU’s Constitution conflicts with article 6 of the Maltese constitution and in order to resolve this impasse a constitutional amendment requiring a two thirds majority in the Maltese Parliament is necessary. This conclusion contrasts with the conclusion of the report prepared by Joe Brincat and Pawlu Lia which states clearly that the approval of the EU’s constitutional treaty is not in breach of the Maltese constitution.
In his political report Sammut is calling on the MLP to insist on holding a referendum. In the absence of a referendum Sammut is calling on the MLP to insist on the negotiation of a legally binding protocol safeguarding Malta’s neutrality. “This protocol should be as legally binding as the protocol on abortion which forms part of the EU Constitution.”
Labour MP Anglu Farrugia has confirmed that he has also prepared two reports on the issue and informed MaltaToday he was assisted by a group of lawyers. Asked whether his reports concur with the conclusions of the reports commissioned by the MLP leadership, Anglu Farrugia said, “In my reports I arrive at different conclusions.”
Farrugia also expressed his disappointment that while discussion is alive and kicking in the MLP, there is no such discussion in the Nationalist Party.
“I have talked to Nationalist MPs who expressed their disappointment that no such discussion is taking place in their party.”
In the meantime a discussion organised by the Labour political club in Mosta was cancelled at the last minute.
Since the MLP had forbidden discussions in political clubs, the Mosta committee planned to organise the discussion in a private hall in the locality.
Invitations had already been issued and Super One presenter Tony Abela confirmed that he was invited to address the meeting.
Speaking to MaltaToday General Secretary Jason Micallef denied any knowledge of that meeting, but added that the party was clear in forbidding discussions organised by individual MLP political clubs.
Jason Micallef informed MaltaToday that the MLP’s executive committee has decided to increase the number of assemblies for MLP delegates from four to six.
Asked whether Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici’s request to participate in all the meetings has been granted, Jason Micallef reiterated the party’s decision to limit each assembly to delegates from each particular region.
This effectively means that Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici will only be able to address one sixth of MLP delegates before the general conference of the party is convened next June.
jdebono@newsworksltd.com
|
