Discrimination against Maltese students

Opposition EU spokesman Evarist Bartolo said yesterday he has written to the EU Commissioner for Education, Vivian Reding to protest over discrimination by the UK and Dutch governments against students from the new EU member states.

Mr Bartolo said in parliament that in terms of EU law, member states could not discriminate against citizens of other member states.

Yet students from the new EU member states following courses in UK and Dutch universities were still being charged fees that were applicable to students from non-EU countries - a difference which in some cases amounted to several thousands pounds Sterling. This situation would continue until the end of the current academic year, in June or July.

Mr Bartolo recalled that he had first protested that this would happen way back in February, when he wrote to the EU Ombudsman. The Ombudsman had written back that since the case involved government, not EU institutions, the matter had to be addressed to the European Commission, which was why, Mr Bartolo said, he had now written to the commissioner.

Mr Bartolo said he was pleased to observe that this week, the UK National Postgraduate Committee had also criticised the UK government for recommending that the universities continued to charge the same fees, saying this went against the spirit of the EU and was discriminatory.

In his speech, during the adjournment, Mr Bartolo also touched briefly on problems faced by separated and cohabiting couples. He said parliament should find ways, such as through its Social Affairs Committee, to maturely and calmly discuss their situation and see how it could be improved, rather than let the subject degenerate into a religious war. He said that there were 6,960 people in Malta who were separated, annulled or divorced.