Call for unity among groups against EU agreement

The Malta Arise Front, which objects to the way the government has negotiated the European Union accession agreement, had asked all the organisations which are against the agreement to put aside their differences and unit as one lobby, front spokesman Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici said yesterday.

The other spokesman, former Labour prime minister Dom Mintoff, did not show up for the front's street meeting in Marsa. This was the second time in a row that Mr Mintoff has not made an appearance at a front meeting.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said Mr Mintoff was unwell and hoped he would be able to attend next Friday's meeting in Sliema.

Speaking to about 300 people, mainly pensioners, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that with the agreement it had negotiated with the EU, the government had betrayed the Maltese and had violated the Constitution. Once it had violated the Constitution, it should not now be surprised if the people were to tell it they had every right to break every law.

"We will carry on fighting for our freedom in every street and at every corner around the country, even if the people vote 'yes' in the referendum," he said.

He said the accession agreement did not safeguard Malta's Constitution as regards neutrality and non-alignment and did not protect the country's social services or its free schooling.

Neither did it allow the government to offer incentives to foreign entrepreneurs that would create job opportunities, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.