PM accuses "No" camp of lack of ethics

The prime minister said yesterday that as the country was in the last few days of the EU membership referendum campaign, he was disturbed by the lack of ethics in the 'No' camp, who have turned to blatant lies, inventions and deceitful tactics.

Addressing an audience waving European flags at a national meeting organised by the IVA Movement at Ta' Qali, Dr Fenech Adami made a strong appeal for a sense of ethics in the last few days of the campaign. The meeting was also addressed by a long list of speakers, including IVA chairman Joanna Drake, Alternattiva Demokrattika chairman Harry Vassallo, a Labour Party councillor and a former GWU official.

The prime minister said he did not mind the harsh debate on the issue of membership, as long as there were valid arguments in favour or against accession.

However, Dr Fenech Adami said, as the referendum day was approaching, the 'No' camp had completely abandoned the basic sense of ethics that normally allowed human beings to distinguish between what was right and what was wrong.

He recalled that he was recently approached by a woman who received a letter from the 'No' camp which stated that the prime minister had taken the people and the church for a ride on the issue of abortion. Dr Fenech Adami said that the people in the 'No' camp were fully aware that the government negotiated a special protocol on abortion but, notwithstanding this assurance, they kept repeating lies and inventions about the matter.

Dr Fenech Adami said that those who were treating membership as a partisan issue were mistaken. "This is not about partisan politics. This is a national decision that will affect future generations," he said.

Dr Drake said that with scant resources, the movement had worked hard over the years to strengthen the national debate on the issue of membership. She expressed her confidence that the people would next Saturday vote for Malta to join the EU.

Dr Drake said it was extremely risky for Malta to remain outside the EU, saying that if Malta did not join, it would have to pay "a very high price" and the country would regress.

She described 'partnership' as a "fantasy" and a "dream". She said that the Maltese should not allow anyone to use them as guinea-pigs in experiments.

Alternattiva Demokrattika chairman Harry Vassallo said Malta had reached a historic moment.

"There has never been such an occasion where people from different walks of life and political belief united to express their opinion in favour of EU membership, ignoring their own political ambitions and differences."

Ivan Bartolo, a Labour councillor and former presenter on Super 1 who voted in favour of the EU in a resolution in Mosta council, said he would continue to support Labour principles. He said that all the democratic Labour parties in Europe and most European trade unions were in favour of membership.

"How can I accept that my party uses the EU to instill fear in the workers when the EU protects and safeguards the rights of the European workers?"

He described his decision to go public in favour of EU membership as very difficult. "It has been very difficult, especially as certain quarters are circulating false rumours that I have been paid Lm10,000 to speak in favour of membership."

Mr Bartolo said he had always given his service to the Labour Party and Super 1 free of charge. "And I feel hurt when I hear insults and inventions about me on the Labour Party media."

He said he was aware that there were Labour MPs and Labour Party officials who would be voting for membership. "If the referendum will go through, it will be a victory for those who believe in true Labour principles and it will be a victory for the Maltese workers."

UHM general secretary Gejtu Vella said the union recently wrote to the European Commission to confirm whether Malta would be getting any money if the country chose the 'partnership' option. He said the union got a reply from the European Commission which said that if Malta joined the EU, the country would get a net amount of Lm81 million for the first two-and-a-half years of membership but would receive nothing if it opted to stay out.

Television personality Peppi Azzopardi said he was in possession of the minutes of the GWU national council meeting which had decided that a motion against EU membership should be presented during the extraordinary conference held in January last year. He said the minutes of this meeting showed that it was not true that the decision to move this motion was unanimous.

He quoted from the minutes in which a GWU official expressed concern that if the Labour Party were to change its position on the issue of membership, the GWU might find itself in a position of having to reconsider its position. Another GWU official warned that the union position against membership was premature and that the union should wait until the conclusion of negotiations.

Claudia Roth, a German MP representing the Green Party, which is in government in coalition with the Social Democrats, urged the Maltese to vote for EU membership. She said the future of the Maltese children lay in Europe as a member of one united family.

"Malta needs Europe and Europe needs Malta," she said. Ms Roth also criticised the Labour Party's 'partnership' proposal, stressing 'partnership' did not exist.

Another person who addressed the mass meeting was Epifanio Vella, a blind person, who emphasised the social aspect of EU membership. Mr Vella said EU membership would be extremely beneficial for people with disability as the union was built on solidarity and ensured that persons with disability found their place in society.

Joe Debono, a hunter, made a strong appeal to hunters and trappers to vote for membership. Mr Debono stressed that the deal negotiated by the government on hunting did not affect any of the rights of hunters and trappers. He urged hunters and trappers to treat the issue of EU membership as a national issue above personal interests.

Dr Frank Cassar, who stressed he was a Labour supporter, said he was sure there were hundreds of other Labour supporters who would be voting for membership. He claimed there were Labour MPs who told him in private that they would be voting for EU membership in next Saturday's referendum.

Dr Cassar said he had reliable information that as soon as the Labour Party loses the referendum and the general election, they would change the leadership and their stand on the issue of membership.

Former GWU official Mike Seychell challenged Labour Party deputy leader George Vella to withdraw allegations that he was bribed to speak in favour of the EU. Mr Seychell said Dr Vella should either withdraw the allegations or have to answer to them in court. Mr Seychell also said he was being approached by various Labour supporters who would be voting for Malta's EU membership bid.

Television personality Lou Bondi said he was very confident that after next Saturday's referendum a "new European state" would be born. He described Malta's EU membership as a natural process after Malta fought for its independence in 1964.

Joe Caruana Curran, an industrialist and former FOI president, said industrialists and employees had no option but to vote for membership. He said that Malta would soon be part of the greatest international market, made up of 500 million people.