Sant does not say how he will interpret referendum result

With the EU referendum less than a week away, Labour leader Alfred Sant yesterday refused to say how he intended to interpret the result.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami did not rule out rumours that the general election could be held on April 12, just six weeks away.

Dr Fenech Adami and Dr Sant crossed swords yesterday morning on a radio programme on PBS hosted by journalist Ivan Camilleri.

The Labour Party has instructed the electorate to vote No, invalidate their vote, or to abstain from voting on polling day.

Asked whether he intended to add the invalid votes to the No votes, and those who did not vote, Dr Sant kept his cards close to his chest.

"We will wait for the announcement of the result, we will evaluate it, and we will comment," was his dry reply.

Dr Sant reiterated that the referendum was a consultative one which, he claimed was being held in a campaign of brainwashing.

"The consultative referendum is Dr Fenech Adami's baby, in which he wants to be the jury, judge, audience, prosecutor, defence and executioner."

Dr Sant said his party was prepared for a general election at once, or on April 12, the date being mentioned.

The Opposition leader would not tell, when asked, whether he intended to vote or spoil his ballot paper on Saturday. He would only say he would be going out to vote in the Birkirkara local council elections.

Neither would he comment about whether his job was in the balance or whether the MLP would do a U-turn on EU membership should the electorate overwhelmingly vote Yes on Saturday.

The Prime Minister was clear in his interpretation. In any normal democracy it is just the Yes and No votes which mattered.

Dr Fenech Adami said the electorate had the right to know how the Labour Party intended to interpret the referendum.

Asked about the election date, the Prime Minister said the first possible Saturday for an election should Parliament be dissolved on March 10 would be April 12.

"I am glad that Dr Sant is ready to accept the date of April 12. I shall decide in the best national interest."

He urged the electorate to realise the positive message coming from the Yes camp, in stark contrast to the fear campaign waged by the No lobby.

But Dr Sant said it was the Yes lobby which was after all claiming that Malta would be marginalised and isolated if it opted out of the EU.

The Labour leader urged the electorate to realise that EU membership would mean an explosion in prices and that such matters were evident from the MLP- commissioned reports.

But Dr Fenech Adami questioned the credibility of these unsigned reports which were drawn up in a matter of weeks.

"Should we believe these anonymous reports? Or should we believe the ones commissioned by organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, which have the interest of their members at heart?" he asked.

Even the Association of General Retailers and Traders had realised the importance of EU membership.

Dr Fenech Adami shot down Dr Sant's claims that prices would go up with EU membership. Negotiations on products, such as sugar, whose prices were expected to increase, had been carried out to ensure this would not happen.