Sant feels "duty-bound" to vote against EU treaty ratification

Labour leader Alfred Sant said in a statement sent on his personal letterhead yesterday that he felt duty-bound to vote against ratification of the EU accession treaty.

It is not known how the Labour Party, which is in a minority of five seats in parliament, will vote - ratification needs only a simple majority.

Dr Sant issued the statement in reaction to a news item on Television Malta which claimed he was of the opinion that the Labour parliamentary group should vote in favour of the accession treaty.

Dr Sant added in his statement, however, that democracy dictates that the party should respect the will of the majority as expressed in the April 12 election, and following the vote on the treaty in parliament.

Speculation about the MLP's voting intentions on the EU treaty has been rife following the April 12 election, fought on the EU issue, with the electorate decisively voting for membership.

Since the result, a number of Labour MPs have hinted they might vote in favour of ratifying the treaty, signed in Athens by the prime minister on April 16.

Dr Sant categorically denied the PBS news item which reported sources as saying that "Dr Sant's view is that the MLP parliamentary group would vote in favour of the accession treaty so that it can justify the change in its EU policy".

Dr Sant said the Labour Party parliamentary group had not discussed its position in connection with the ratification of the treaty.

He said his advice to the Labour MPs who approached him about the subject was that they were elected to represent the views and aspirations of those who voted for them.

"Whoever voted for the Labour Party has voted in favour of the party's policy on the EU," he said.

That policy, as repeatedly spelled out in the electoral campaign, was to rule out membership and seek "partnership".