Editorial

In the referendum on European Union membership, Alfred Sant presented his party faithful the impossible task of choosing between membership - as negotiated by the government and laid out in black and white for dissection - and "partnership", his option for the kind of relationship he wants with the EU, which had still to be negotiated, if the EU were to accept the concept, that is. And the EU has already said it is only membership that is on offer.

In laying out the choice, Dr Sant, and the Labour Party leadership with him, were of course making fun of all the party faithful, by telling them to choose between something, membership, that was there, in all its substance, and something fanciful, "partnership", that had yet to be negotiated, if that were possible.

He never explained how Malta, as a member of the EU, would, as he saw it and has told us, have a voice that carried absolutely no weight with the EU.

But, outside the EU, with absolutely no political or economic clout, indeed, as a supplicant of the EU and hugely indebted to it, he would have us believe, Malta would be able to make the EU bow to its will, and enter into a "partnership" with Malta that the EU says is just not possible.

The electorate saw the choice for what it was, a leg pull, and, in a country where the two political parties are roughly equally strong, handed Dr Sant a clear answer - 53.6 per cent voted for membership, the others said no or spoiled their vote. In a country where voting for the party is a creed, that is a big majority.

Dr Sant could not take no for an answer and flying in the face of the electorate's verdict, went to Ta' Qali claiming victory, by adding to the no vote all those who had not cared to, or could not, vote, including many who had died. That was the extent of his desperation. His slavish party media backed him blindly.

The prime minister, seeing a huge need to end all the uncertainty, called a snap election for April 12, meeting at the same time a cry that Dr Sant had been making, by often calling for an early election.

Dr Sant sees the magical pull that Europe has on Malta, including on his own supporters, and has now come up with another leg pull - if he wins the election, he will negotiate a "partnership" deal with the EU and hold a referendum, for the electorate to choose between the "partnership" negotiated, and membership, which would not be on the cards, and would have to be re-negotiated, with 24 EU members, not today's 15, if the EU were to take Malta seriously.

We would like to know just who Dr Sant and the party leadership think they are kidding. Do they honestly expect to negotiate a "partnership" that would be favourable for Malta with a bloc they would have turned their back on? Would they be prepared to sell Malta's interests for cheap, to be able to sell their option to the EU?

Labour is now saying it sees a huge victory ahead at the polls. It is not an original claim. Saddam Hussein made a similar one the last time he addressed the Iraqi people. Let us hope there is no calvary ahead for Malta.