Membership 'next logical step'

Acting Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday that Malta was linked to the EU in every sector of activity and the next logical step for the country was therefore membership of the union.

He pointed out at a Fgura political conference that most tourists came from the EU and half of Malta's international trade was with the EU. Since decisions taken by the EU thus had a major impact here, it was better for Malta to have a say in the way those decisions were reached.

Accession would also translate into greater foreign investment, more jobs and better conditions for the workers.

Dr Gonzi said that in a decision such as this, the people could not be Nationalist or Labourite but they had to decide as Maltese.

Dr Gonzi criticised the Labour Party for not having been part of efforts for Malta to achieve the best accession conditions possible.

It was worth recalling how the MLP used to claim that upon accession to the EU, Malta would be invaded by foreign workers, foreigners would be able to buy property here as they wished, bird hunting would end, Malta would lose its 25 mile fishing zone, Maltese would not be an official EU language and Malta would not be able to nominate a commissioner on the EU Commission.

The negotiations conducted by the government had laid to rest to all those fears, Dr Gonzi said.