Labour 'urged' to align itself with Bonde's EDD group

Labour Party candidate Sharon Ellul Bonici is urging the party to ensure its representatives in the European Parliament align themselves with the EDD Group (Europe of Democracies and Diversities) rather than with the Socialist parties.

The EDD is chaired by Jens-Peter Bonde and is considered by many as holding ultra-right principles.

Ms Ellul Bonici advocates that the MLP should align itself with Mr Bonde's party in the European Parliament, as it is one of those which are most critical of the European Constitution and its aims are closer to those the MLP should have with regards to the EU.

Ms Ellul Bonici made her appeal in a document distributed to party delegates during Monday's stormy meeting but which had to be withdrawn on a point of procedure. According to the rules, delegates cannot distribute documents for discussion but have to present them to the party secretary before the meeting to be included on the agenda.

The document, a copy of which was seen by The Times, is entitled: "What should the MLP's strategy be with Malta in the EU".

It states that the party was in the process of choosing its leadership.

"But this choice does not only concern the qualities of who would be at the party's helm. The choice is also about the strategy the MLP should adopt now that Malta is joining the EU".

The document says that it appears that the majority of Labourites "understand that the MLP has to respect the decision of the electorate. But the majority of Labourites do not want the MLP to become more pro-EU than the PN. The majority of Labourites want the party to remain critical to a form of integration that would give Brussels more power."

Ms Ellul Bonici says that before the June 2004 elections for the European Parliament, candidate countries can send observers and the MLP should cooperate both with the European Socialists as well as the EDD, "before taking decisions that could split the party".

Ms Ellul Bonici says that the MLP should understand the implications of the European Constitution and align itself with the party that is closest to its aims. She said that an "analysis made by Mr Bonde shows that the proposed constitution gave less rights to smaller states".

Ms Ellul Bonici argues that the MLP has three options: two which were extreme and one which was a middle road.

"The first is to join the European Socialists and support the European Constitution. Whoever says that the MLP can be critical if it forms part of the European Socialist group does not have any idea what he is talking about. If it had to do so, it would be isolated and would have to become more pro-EU than the PN.

"The second road is another extreme: that being advocated by Dom Mintoff, which is morally pure but a very tough road of doing one's utmost to get Malta out of the EU at the first opportunity.

"This is very difficult as any party which is critical is left out in the cold and is virtually considered a dissident or terrorist party.

"The middle road is to be critical of any structure that aims to centralise power in Brussels.

"The party must wake up and start criticising the European Constitution and, in the European Parliament, work for democracy and against the centralisation of power.

"This is what the EDD is doing," Ms Ellul Bonici said.