Malta: ratification of the new Constitution

The European Movement (Malta) welcomes the Maltese government's decision to delay the ratification of the new European Constitution so as to give the Malta Labour Party time to sort itself out on the issue.

The government had intended to have the Constitution approved by Parliament this month. Given that the MLP will be convening the party's national conference to debate and decide its stand on the European Constitution, it hardly made sense to call the parliamentary debate before the MLP had concluded its internal procedures.

However, the MLP should now move quickly on this issue and it will be counterproductive if it drags its feet much longer. After all, the main contents of the Constitution have been known for months, even before the final version was sealed last June.

It would be appropriate if both Government and Opposition jointly approved the Constitution in our House of Representatives. It would signal the beginning of a truly new phase in Malta's EU membership.