Social Democrats president endorses Joseph Muscat
Hannes Swoboda
Labour leader Joseph Muscat was promised the “support and solidarity” of the European Parliament’s social democrats this morning if he were to be elected Prime Minister.
In a ringing endorsement of his candidature, Austrian MEP and social democrat group president Hannes Swoboda said he had “very high” expectations of his former MEP colleague Dr Muscat, who he praised for his calmness and determination.
“He knows what he wants, he knows how European institutions work and he is well-respected. If Joseph Muscat is elected he will have a growing family of social democrats in Europe behind him,” Mr Swoboda told One TV.
Mr Swoboda said a Labour victory would be a “double-edged sword” for social democrat grouping, since it would likely mean losing PL MEPs Louis Grech and Edward Scicluna – seated, together with fellow MEP Joseph Cuschieri, to Mr Swoboda’s left and right - to local politics.
While PL deputy leader Mr Grech said that a PL government would push for more economic growth initiatives within the European sphere, Prof. Scicluna argued that Labour was eager to introduce a more consultative form of politics to the local scene.
“Politics at the European level is about compromise and taking other perspectives on board, and I believe we can bring this to local politics,” he said.
Mr Grech agreed. “We are not miracle makers, but we can bring about change. The Nationalists want to use spin and campaign negatively, but we won’t change our strategy because of them.”
Mr Cuschieri said the PN was trying to frighten people by “playing the experience card as the last straw”, but said he had full faith in Dr Muscat at the helm. “March 9 is just the beginning,” he said. “If the PL is elected, the real work will only have started.”
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Peter Zahra
Feb 18th, 12:59
Doesn't Mr Swoboda recall that way back 9 years ago, it was Dr J Muscat and his leader Dr Alfred Sant that threatened Mr Gunter Verhuegen to cut off his tounge because he came over to Malta to speak about the benefits of EU membership !!!! To add insult to injury Dr Sant is now considering to nominate himself to be an MEP after all the crusade to keep Malta out of the EU !!!
charles v schembri
Feb 18th, 08:25
Gonzi's administration was lauded by more important leading political figures in EU, North Africa/Middle East. Monti, Jose Barroso and most importantly Angela Merkel. The Cypriots enquired on how Gonzi's ship survived the waves and floated majestically towards new prosperous horizons. But being wise, none would play dirty party games.
& we don't want to. We can decide for ourselves.
Richard Caruana
Feb 18th, 07:39
Mur obsor!!
During lejber's golden years this guy would have ended up in jail or at best deported within minutes through the 'Foreign Intereference Act' of Dom Mintoff and his minions, a good nummber of whom are presenting themselve again under a glitzy wrapper.
John Attard
Feb 17th, 22:26
Jam does not need the support of SWOBODA to win this election. Mr SWOBODA does not see eye to eye with JM. And he talks about the past not the future! Mr SWOBODA is best away from Malta instead of being here.
JM will win with his or without his support.
ronald mifsud
Feb 17th, 22:00
Illahwa mela nesa li siehbu (Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici) kien ghamel il-ligi tal-indhil barrani u barranin ma jistghux jitkellmu f'meetings. (Din il-ligi qatt ma giet abbrogata!) Kif jimbidlu z-zminijiet!
Henry S Pace
Feb 17th, 20:10
This MEP is 'persona non garta'
Silvio Farrugia
Feb 17th, 19:31
Was the president of the 'socialists ' told that the PL is a right wing party ?
Mr Peter Vella
Feb 17th, 19:06
Let us remind ourselves that in the "golden years" of Labour when Karmenu Vella was a cabinet minister, we had the Foreign Interference Act in force which meant that someone like Svoboda would have been arrested and deported. A totally undemocratic law, and we want to hand power back to these people?
Joe Sammut
Feb 17th, 19:40
Flaminio Piccoli and Roberto Formigoni come to mind.
Mintoff blamed Piccoli for Labours electoral loss in 1981. Formigoni was not allowed to enter Malta to address some conference organised by PN.
That’s how Maltese Socialism acts when it is in power.
Paul Debono
Feb 17th, 17:08
Imn'alla m'ghadx ghandna l-foreign interference act ghax kien jispicca arrestat. Imma hafna jahsbu li dan kien xi tlett mitt sena ilu mhux fi zmien l-eroj Dom Mintoff, li Joseph tant incensah!
Angelo Vassallo
Feb 17th, 16:42
@ Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO @ Joseph M. Saliba
SWOBODA LOBBIED AGAINST TONIO BORG.
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Feb 17th, 22:35
If I had to hear what you say about the position of Svoboda from Dr Tonio Borg I would believe it but from you just pathetic twaddle.
N. Borg
Feb 17th, 16:41
Does Swoboda know how much JM pushed for Malta NOT to enter the EU? Does he know the true colours of the person/party he is endorsing?!
M. Cachia
Feb 17th, 19:34
San Pawl, l-hekk imsejjah Missier Malta Nisranija, kien jippersegwita' L-Insara u wara sar Qaddis!
Stop this EU Nonsense..................please.
Ramon Mangion
Feb 17th, 20:49
this is totally nonsense, I suggest that you move your body/mind clock to 2013
Angelo Vassallo
Feb 17th, 16:39
Swoboda seems that he does not know of the infamous Foreign Interferience Act - INDHIL BARRANI - OF THE PARTIT lejburista at the time of alex sciberras trigona, karmenu vella, leo brincat and other DINOSAWRI LEJBURISTI.
Lawrence Camilleri
Feb 17th, 16:08
Mr Swoboda would have ended up arrested in Malta, 1971 - 1987, under the then Foreign Interference Act as a foreigner meddling in local politics. But no, not in this case, pushing a Socialist. Maybe he does not know that Joseph Muscat was against Malta joining the European Union.
twanny borg
Feb 17th, 16:07
jaf dan li gie fi zmien il-labour aktar f'kampanja elettorali u jghid li se jirbah il-pl kienu jakkuzawh b'indhil barrani? jew kien jintbaghat il-habs jew jitkecca minn malta bhal ma ghamlu lis-sorijiet bil-pulizija. kemm inbidlu z-zmienijiet! tghid nergu immorru fihom?
Mr Tim Ripard
Feb 17th, 14:45
Swoboda is a joke. His country is one of the most corrupt in the world. Nothing but endless scandals - Eurofighter, Graf Ali,the AKH, Huber's ÖBB, Burgenstaller in Salzburg, KH Grasser, Alfons Haider, BAWAG to name but a few. Endorsement by Swoboda is no recommendation whatsoever.
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 16:13
Mr Ripard, much of the USA and Europe has become more corrupt over the last 30 years - it's what one gets when people vote in the Berlusconis and Bushes of the world - people who have too much connections with businessmen of the type who are not capable of maintaining a good balance between their interest and that of society. Over the last 5 years Malta has headed in the same direction.
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Feb 17th, 22:42
I sincerely hope that comments like yours and others of the same ilk are seen by Svoboda. He will then appreciate the true European democratic and liberal spirit amongst PN supporters. Shame on your ilk and of other xenophobes for embarrassing us true Maltese Europeans.
Mr Tim Ripard
Feb 18th, 13:32
Mr Leone Ganado - PL supporters are fine ones to talk about being democratic and liberal. The PL made it a crime for foreigners to speak in public in Malta - is that liberal? The PL governed against the will of the people from 1981 to 1987 - is that democratic? True Europeans? You? You all voted for the EU, you true Europeans, didn't you? Don't make me laugh. Isthi jekk taf kif.
Peter Agius
Feb 17th, 14:38
SWOBODA means Freedom and Liberty in their language................something the Socialists know nothing about.
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 16:31
Your definition of freedom is too narrow Mr Agius. Ask those who have ended up close to the poverty line whether they feel free. Ask those who have seen others very much less capable or hardworking than them whether they feel free. Ask our children who will have to pay the enormous public debt being left for them to pay when they grow up whether they will be free.
Peter Agius
Feb 17th, 22:13
My defenition of Freedom is just that Mr.Caruana......FREEDOM. And I repeat.......it is something that your Socialists know nothing about......they do not know the meaning.
Joe Sammut
Feb 17th, 13:43
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121017/local/socialist-group-says-new-commissioner-should-be-nominated-after-elections.441504
Swoboda is no great fan of Gonzi , he worked against Dr Tonio Borg’s nomination as EU commissioner by saying that “We don’t need another Rocco Buttiglione”.
The European Parliament thought otherwise and Tonio kept his promises.
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Feb 17th, 14:06
Please inform yourself and others correctly. Hans Svoboda as leader of the socialist group conditionally endorsed Dr Tonio Borg and secured a free vote for the socialist MEPs and promised his full cooperation if elected. Without these thirty odd MEP's including our 4 PL MEPS who voted for Dr Borg he would not have been elected.
Joseph M. Saliba
Feb 17th, 15:18
Thanks to Labour Support and lobbyinsg within various Social Democrats. This is the truth.
Joe Sammut
Feb 17th, 15:42
I’m well informed.
He didn’t secure anything, one secures a yes vote not a free vote.
Free vote is neutral, and Tonio got a yes vote from his group.!
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 16:08
Many would have preferred somebody else to represent Malta at the EU than Tonio Borg. We have so much good talent, what a waste.
Joe Sammut
Feb 17th, 19:22
Joe Cuschieriwould have been a good replacement for Dalli I suppose, Mr CARUANA.
Joe Sammut
Feb 17th, 19:35
Albert Leone Ganado: how do you know that the Maltese Labour MEP’s voted in favour of Tonio when the vote was secret?
Simon Busuttil and David Casa lobbied in their group for Tonio Borg but the PL MEP’s just sat on the wall watching.
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 21:02
Mr Sammut. I repeat what I said 'Many would have preferred somebody else to represent Malta at the EU than Tonio Borg. We have so much good talent, what a waste.' I suggest that you ask some floaters and see what they think, you will be surprised.
Joe Pace Asciak
Feb 17th, 13:21
"Labour was eager to introduce a more consultative form of politics to the local scene". Based on forced consensus and punitive audits?
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 16:05
Here's another guy who has enrolled himself in the PN 'scare them' machine. Sorry Mr Pace Asciak doesnt work any more except with the weak and faint hearted.
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Feb 17th, 13:10
Shows that it is not just Maltese cwiec who see a promising economic future with Joseph Muscat at the helm of a progressive movement, but that JM's vision is endorsed by a prominent EU politician from one of the most economically successful countries in Europe. Who cares about the litany of negatives coming out of the PN precincts. A positive vision will keep attracting a stream of new adherents
patrick cutajar
Feb 17th, 13:04
Konferma ohra ta kemm il-partit laburista qed ihares lejn il-futur ta Malta l-Aqwa fl-Ewropa.
Andrew Borg
Feb 17th, 13:03
the comments here about all socialists being evil and all conservatives being holy or the other way round are so pathetic. Real life doesnt work like that - you can have a competent socialists as much as a competent conservative. These party distinctions only help the political parties themselves to help them rally their troops under simplistic banners. Open your eyes people!
Joe Sammut
Feb 17th, 13:47
True , in Malta we have a prime minister in waiting who is ashamed of calling himself a Socialist , because his party copied 75% of the electoral program from the Christian Democratic Party.
Daniel Zarb
Feb 17th, 16:25
Or they are "in the pipeline" Joe, mhux hekk? Refrain from echoing Simon's empty words. Anzi ma gejtx tkellimna fuq "wrappers" u "maskli". Hallina tridx.
Joe Sammut
Feb 17th, 19:30
Just read the party electoral programs and see that Labour just copied most of the program in one and a half weeks from the PN’s program.
Calling names will get you nowhere. Labour did not prepare a program , it did not even include the pie in the sky project of the LNG power station at Delimara in the manifesto. Joseph speaks of a vision which he has for Malta but it is nowhere to be seen.
Daniel Zarb
Feb 17th, 20:57
The vision is clear to those who want to see it Joe. I did read the manifesto and I can tell you that the proposals are well-thought out and reflect a political attitude that seeks to be in touch with the people's needs. Infantile insinuations will get you nowhere. Neither will scaremongering. The electorate is more intelligent than you think.
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 20:57
Good comment Andrew. It is why I have never tied myself to any any political party. I dont want to become like the people you describe.
sammy cassar
Feb 17th, 12:46
Did he tell him how he campaigned for a NO vote during EU referendum?
G Buhagiar
Feb 17th, 12:52
Good question!
Joe Grech
Feb 17th, 13:17
@Sammy Cassar - Bosta nies, jien inkluz, ivvutajna biex nidhlu fl-E.U.
Pero, habib, trid tammettiha li bosta kienu dawk li gew dizappuntati.
L-EU qed jitkisser quddiemna u ghandu bosta tort ghax ghamel cucati serji...
X'jiswielna jekk ahna nibqghu b'''FINANZI SODI'' JEKK L-E.U. U SPECJALMENT L-EWRO JITFARRKU - kif sfortunatament qed jigri?
John Abela
Feb 17th, 13:43
Yes he campaigned for a NO vote during the EU referendum. So what is the problem? He had an opinion then. I voted for the EU and also for the PN ever since but now I will vote for the PL. This election is not about the EU. This election is about giving Malta back to the people. It is about a new tomorrow. It is about a new beginning after 5 years of arrogance, corruption, and incompetence.
Godfrey Zammit
Feb 17th, 14:11
Referendum campaigns (like divorce) are always public so he does not have to tell him about it. What he should have told him is about the Euro 500 raise he and his ministers got, from behind the Maltese people's back. That was kept a secret may be he did not know about it.
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 15:54
So what Mr Cassar? I voted for the EU and PN when I saw that it was best for Malta to do so. Now it's best to vote Labour. That''s what real floaters do. Given the mismanagement of public funds, corruption and arrogance we heve seen over the last 5 years, the only people who will not switch are the dumb, those who refuse to see what is happening around them or those who are themselves corrupt.
Eddy Privitera
Feb 17th, 12:45
C. Sant: You mentioned Greece, when it is well known that the root of all Greece's trouble was brought about by the CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT which used to hide the real financial and economic situation from the EU Commission ! All this came to light when the Socialist Party won the election and revealed the REAL SITUATION to the Greek people and the EU !
twanny borg
Feb 17th, 16:10
iva wara li s-socjalisti weghdu l-genna fl-art u wara fallew.
Mr Joe Micallef
Feb 17th, 12:40
Join the growing family of failures! Some time ago they hailed Zapatero as the new socialist messiah, today they are ashamed of him - a constant with socialists who are generally ashamed of their past.
Eddy Privitera
Feb 17th, 12:47
Joe Micallef: What interests Maltese and Gozitan people is here in Malta. Here MANY NATIONALISTS including PN MPs, former officials and thpusands of genuine nationalists ARE ASHAMED of the present GonziPN !
Joe Grech
Feb 17th, 13:21
Prosit Eddy Privitera tal-kumment tieghek!
Joe Micallef ma jinteressahx li Gonzi PN iddizappunta bl-ineffficenza, nuqqas ta' trasparenza u ABBUZ serju - meta l-PM u l-Kabinett taw lilhom infushom zieda fis-salarju minghajr ma qalu lil-shabhom nazzjonalisti, lill-poplu Malti u sahansitra, LILL-PARLAMENT!
Fuq dawn l-affarijiet biss jehtieg BIDLA!
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 16:02
Mr Micallef both socialists & 'Christian' democrats have a lot to be ashamed of in this country but on balance I think the socialists have been better for Malta - they left behind good social changes, a sense of having a duty to one's country and others less fortunate and left no debts for future generations. The PN has been good for one thing - replacing the Mintoff regime when it had degraded.
Mr Joe Micallef
Feb 17th, 16:10
I don’t trade my vote so I can make rational decisions.
I want more quality jobs, I want even better health services, I want cutting edge education, I want sound economic policies, I want feasible vision, I want tourism successes, I want real fight against corruption, I want even better infrastructure, I want more culture (Biagio Steps style), I want drug cases reported – I WILL VOTE PN
Mr Joe Micallef
Feb 17th, 17:59
Caruana, I like funny people. Your post is one of the best jokes I've heard for some time. It was meant to be a revisionist joke, wasn't it?
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 20:49
Mr Micallef, sorry to answer so late have other things to do in life. You said 'I don’t trade my vote so I can make rational decisions.' That's the problem with this country too many people taking decisions for old times' sake whilst they should be taking decisions for the future.
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 20:54
Re your 'revisionist' joke. As I have said many times I voted PN when it was time for Mintoff and co to go (and also when the PL was against EU membership) but the PN also destroyed the social ideas that Mintoff had generated - which were a good thing. They have replaced it with a 'grab as much as you can and dont care about others attitude'. Christian democrats have been unChristian.
Mr Joe Micallef
Feb 18th, 10:52
Caruana the problem is people like you who trade their vote, meaning that voting preference is not based on rational decisions but opportunistic considerations.
C Sant
Feb 17th, 12:14
List of Countries with or where socialist were in power and where they left a mess: Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Great Britain. One country that decided to change to a Socialist Government : France - very much in the way towards financial problems - large investors leaving the country.
Is this what Social Democrats want of our country? Are they envious and want us to be in the same situation?
Albert Pace
Feb 17th, 12:41
In Greece the Socialists did not leave a mess but found a mess with billions of depbt and hidden accounts by the former conservative gov't! what about the mess created by your friend Berlusconi in next door Italy! What about the incresed debts of the UK conservative gov't!
stephen mifsud
Feb 17th, 12:56
Spot on Albert Pace ... its the Conservatives governments thats leaves the mess for the newly elected governments so to make the look bad to the voters and then they say ... look they are no good elect us again .... such a ploy of arrogance,. believe me Joseph is going to inherit a mess left by the Gonzi and his merry men ... Obama inherited a huge mess left by George W Bush ugggg!!!!
David Caruana
Feb 17th, 13:40
'In Greece the Socialists did not leave a mess but found a mess with billions of depbt and hidden accounts by the former conservative gov't! '
Spot on! What worries me is that this seems to be Malta's trajectory too with national debt ballooning in the last 4 years!
Sometimes I do wonder if the right-wingers do this on purpose. Spend without control, and then let others deal with the mess.
John Grima
Feb 17th, 14:32
@ Albert Pace
Actually the Coalition Government in the UK has so far reduced the deficit by 25%
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 15:30
Mr Sant, I have been around since Thatcher and her right wing economists using the media controlled by the irresponsible rich (i.e., the Berlusconis of the world) convinced the electorate that right wing policies will make us all rich. It's simply a big lie. Berlusconi destroyed Italy, the PN destroyed the Maltese economy - over 5000 million in debt and still growing. Where did all that money?
Mr Peter Korsten
Feb 17th, 15:32
@C Sant
You forgot Germany, and all other European countries that at some point or other had a left-leaning government. Oops, there goes your little theory.
Carmel J. Caruana
Feb 17th, 15:35
Regarding France, the investors leaving the country are those who have always put their interest first and foremost - they made it rich by the laissez faire policies of the previous right wing government and now are not ready to give something back to the country. Those business men who know how to maintain a health balance between their own interest and that of society at large have stayed.
Please choose the reason of your report below: