Updated: PL hits back at criticism over migration vote
PN replies
(Adds PN statement)
The Labour Party said today that while the PN was accusing it of not having convinced the socialists to block the new Frontex rules in the European Parliament, the government itself had not managed to block the new rules when they were drafted by the European Council.
The PL in a statement said the government had not even had the courage to vote against the new rules in the council, and had abstained. In so doing it had abdicated its responsibilities on such an important issue.
The party also pointed out that there had been socialists who voted against the new rules in the European Parliament yesterday, and there were members of the Popular Party who voted in favour, meaning that Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil had not managed to convince all his colleagues to vote against.
PL TRYING TO PASS THE BUCK - PN
After having failed to convince the Socialist Group to vote in Malta’s interests the Labour Party was now trying to pass the buck.
The truth, however, was that most members of the Popular Party voted in favour of Malta but the bulk of the Socialist MEPs voted against Malta’s interests.
In the EP elections last year Joseph Muscat’s Labour posed as some defender of Malta’s interests on immigration but now that push came to shove Labour was found wanting.
Labour now wanted to shift the blame after its MEPs failed in convincing their Socialist colleagues to vote in Malta’s interests and one of its’ MEPs was absent when the vote was taken.