Iva claims MLP survey shows majority in favour of EU
Challenges party to publish survey
The Iva Movement yesterday challenged the Labour Party to publish a survey which the pro-EU lobby claimed showed a majority in favour of European Union membership.
Over 54 per cent of respondents to the MLP-commissioned poll said they agreed to EU membership, while less than 30 per cent replied that they would vote 'no' in a referendum, Iva secretary David Casa said.
Mr Casa was speaking at Birkirkara at the movement's first public debate. He said the Labour Party survey confirmed that the number of those undecided was on a steady decline and shifting towards a 'yes' vote.
He argued that the emergence of new anti-EU movements proved that those opposing membership were "completely in disarray."
The Labour Party, the General Workers' Union, the Campaign for National Independence and, now, the Front Maltin Inqumu seemed to have conflicting reasons for opposing membership.
He described Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici's links with two separate anti-EU lobbies as nothing more than "a joke".
While Dr Mifsud Bonnici's CNI opposed the EU at all costs, the Front Maltin Inqumu, which he is heading together with Mr Mintoff, primarily denounced the government's negotiations.
"Dr Mifsud Bonnici should decide whether he perceives the EU as some kind of monster, or whether he only disagrees with the negotiations carried out," Mr Casa said.
He questioned the MLP's "chaotic" EU policy, as shown by Opposition leader's Alfred Sant's interview in The Times last Friday.
He said the reaction by the anti-EU movement to the news that one of Iva's activists was being investigated by the police over child pornography showed the dearth of concrete arguments against membership.
The Iva Movement last week dismissed one of its activists after it had become aware that he was being investigated by the police.