European socialists attack Euro sceptics

Some time ago, the European Socialist PES Group Co-ordinator for Budgetary Control, Helmut Kuhne, launched a blistering attack on British Tories and their allies in the European Parliament for their totally contradictory approach to the European Commission.

The British Tories and the allies mentioned by Mr Kuhne have a strong following among many supporters and delegates of the MLP. But the Tories also form part of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament to which the Nationalist Party belongs. The European Movement (Malta) concurs with the position of the Party of European Socialists (PES) on this.

In a press release by PES, Mr Kuhne was reported to have asked: "Why have the Tories and fellow-sceptics such as Jens Peter Bonde demanded a separate Commission statement on Eurostat (the Commission's statistics body)?

The question is covered comprehensively in a report drawn up by a member of the Tories' own political group, Mr Bayona de Perogordo, in his discharge report today.

"Of course, this can be seen merely as an overture to the bizarre motion of censure of the Commission signed by the same people. They are making themselves look completely ridiculous. The motion of censure can only be taken at the next plenary session of Parliament which, of course, is the last of the present legislature.

"We will thus be confronted with a motion of censure from an outgoing Parliament on an outgoing Commission! They want to send home immediately the 10 newly appointed commissioners. What a wonderful legacy!" Mr Kuhne said.