Christian Peregin
Anti-treaty party to contest Malta elections
Libertas claims 'absurd' - Gonzi
Malta's decision-making powers were handed to the EU when the government signed the Lisbon Treaty, according to a new political party that will be contesting the European Parliament elections in all 27 member states this June.
Declan Ganley, the leader of the pan-European party Libertas, accused Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi of not even reading the treaty before signing it, and claimed that Parliament barely discussed it, much less informed the public about it.
The allegation was later dismissed by Dr Gonzi as "completely untrue" and "totally absurd".
Mr Ganley's party believes the EU is killing democracy, since laws and regulations are being created by unelected individuals outside the European Parliament.
The party's representative and MEP candidate hopeful for Malta is Mary Gauci, the former deputy leader of Azzjoni Nazzjonali.
When asked whether Libertas was right-wing, Mr Ganley said it could not be categorised into right or left, and that its candidates came from diverse backgrounds.
"We are very moderate, centrist and pro-democracy," he said.
Libertas had headed the campaign against the Lisbon Treaty, but it still labels itself as a pro-European party.
"If Brussels can ignore the democratic voice of France, the Netherlands and Ireland, how much influence can Malta have?" Mr Ganley argued, in a reference to the referendums that were won by the 'no' camp.
Ms Gauci explained that in her experience as a public officer working with the Finance Ministry, she had witnessed "sad" things which she could not disclose.
She said the scourge of illegal immigration had become a national crisis, and that Malta needed to put its foot down with the EU. However, she stopped short of giving any concrete proposals.
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L..Galea
Mar 22nd 2009, 22:19
Eugenio Taliana
Not exactly. Have a look at http://www.cnimalta.org and see what they have been saying for years and whether they have always told the truth.
Mark Grima
One more seat will make exactly absolutely no difference.
The only difference the lisbon treaty makes is in the great number of areas around 60 which will be removed from veto and be taken by majority decision and many others where power is being taken by the eu from national governments. That is what our naive politicants who played lackey to the eu did when they ratified the treaty.
Eugenio Taliana
Mar 22nd 2009, 21:15
Welcome to Malta . . . we need such political parties as yours - we have been left in the dark on almost anything concerning the EU for a long time now.
Albert Muscat
Mar 22nd 2009, 18:37
Democracy Zimbabwe style?
In EU things seem to be developing off- natural democratic course.
Reaction of the EU leaders to the Irish NO result is sending couple of unpleasant signals:
• In referendum, a No result does necessarily means a NO. (Dr. Sant-style)
• Peoples, are welcomed only to express opinions that powerful ‘elite ‘organizations want them to express (Zimbabwe, Mugabi-style)
Pretending to dismiss Irish opinion, as the European leaders have done, risks turning a democratic deficit into a democratic chasm.
If the Irish were not sure whether they made the right decision by voting a NO to the Lisbon Treaty, the reaction by many EUleaders had confirmed that Irish made the right thing.
In real democracy, people’s opinion must be counted. If not, over the coming years we will see more controversial issues are going to be loaded onto the EU, and at the same time its slender support in public opinion withers further.
One can not understand why Brussels response is still as if nothing had happened in Ireland referendum?
@Mark Grima
Malta having or losing an extra MEP seat dose not actually counts. Crucial EU decisions require ‘SOFAS’ not seats.
Mark Grima
Mar 22nd 2009, 17:28
Anti-Treaty = anti-Malta 6th seat, so the contestant would have less chance to make it to the european parliament would the treaty fail to be ratified, as Malta would have 5 seats and not 6 - HOW IRONIC!!!
sj schembri
Mar 22nd 2009, 10:16
Dear Libertas
Good Luck with your campaign. I support you fully. Malta should never have ratified the Lisbon Treaty. Sadly our politicians just do not have the guts to the right thing, like the Irish did when they voted no. Europe is in a post- democratic era now. The voice of the people doesn't matter anymore...especially when it conflicts with EU dogmas of further expansion, multiculturalism and meddling with the free market.
God bless you Libertas !