Lisbon Treaty and Malta's national identity (1)

Your issue of June 22 contained two very important perspectives about Europe today. Fr Peter's on the implications of the Irish 'No' to the Lisbon Treaty and Roamer's piece on 'plant dignity'.

Fr Peter stated: "Among the reasons for the negative Irish vote... is the fear that more decision-taking by majority voting (rather than by consensus) and more weight to the Parliament could endanger the exclusive national competence on issues related to national identity."

Then he added: "The real motivation of the changes... in the Lisbon Treaty... was... the extra-ordinary fear of the big countries at the prospect of the Union having a majority of small countries."

In this scenario "the law of the jungle" may prevail. Has it prevailed? Have the Irish stopped it? Temporarily?

To Fr Peter, the Irish 'No' seems to be a blessing in disguise for it was not a federal-type Constitution but a 'network'.

I was struck by the reference to the possibility that giving "more weight to the Parliament could endanger the exclusive national competence on issues related to national identity". This is being felt already in Malta by the pressure from different directions in Europe to introduce abortion, among other issues.

'Roamer' referred to Switzerland's legislation on animal and plant 'dignity' and wondered: "These are the rapids towards which Western civilisation is heading; concern for the dignity of plant life, none for the unborn child. Lunatic legislation on the subject of abortion and embryology in the UK - kill the unborn child up to 24 weeks in the womb and animal-human hybrids - and pathetic concern for the dignity of plants in Switzerland."

Like Fr Peter I understand that the local authorities may have acted strategically when they adopted a "cautious and modest" approach at the time of the drafting of the Constitution, and when the Maltese Parliament ratified both the Constitution and the Lisbon Treaty. And when, lately, in spite of the protocol in the EU Accession Treaty that Malta will not introduce abortion, Europeans were allowed, on Maltese soil, to advocate and offer free abortions to Maltese women.

Fr Peter now suggests another strategic decision. After expressing gratitude to the Irish, the French and the Dutch for voting against the Lisbon Treaty he suggests this may be the opportune moment to propose the 'network' solution.

It seems to me now is the time, also, to strategically reverse the impression of some Europeans that they can meddle with what the Maltese "consider their exclusive national competence on issues related to their national identity." Lately Malta fired two very effective shots against the "rapids towards which Western civilisation is heading" and in favour of the preservation of Malta's national identity.

The first was from Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici that Malta will not introduce abortion no matter what and the second was from Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in favour of human life.