Alfred Sant. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Labour MEP Alfred Sant believes it was imprudent for the EU to sign an association treaty with Ukraine, justifying his abstention in Tuesday’s European Parliament vote.

All the other Maltese MEPs voted for the association treaty that was approved with 535 votes in favour, 127 against and 35 abstentions.

It was MEPs from the two extremes of the political spectrum who mostly voted against.

Dr Sant’s decision to abstain prompted Foreign Minister George Vella to put distance between the stand taken by the head of the Labour MEP delegation and the government’s official position.

“As an MEP, Dr Sant has a right to vote as he deems fit but the government’s official position is that we support the signing of the association agreement with Ukraine and welcome any progress on a free trade deal,” Dr Vella said.

He added it would have been unfair on Ukraine had the EU rejected the deal after the turmoil that erupted when former pro-Russian Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich refused to sign the agreement last year.

But Dr Sant was unfazed, insisting that although in principle it was positive that the EU and Ukraine had reached an association agreement, this had to be done in the context of current geo-political circumstances.

“In such a delicate situation it was prudence that was called for but this did not feature in the triumphalism seen in the European Parliament on Tuesday when the association treaty was ratified,” Dr Sant said.

‘Triumphalism’ when treaty ratified

Yanukovich’s reluctance to sign the deal had sparked mass protests that intensified the division between the pro-EU western provinces of Ukraine and the pro-Russian east.

After Yanukovich was removed from power, Russian separatists in Crimea declared an independent State, which was eventually annexed by Russia.

Similar secessionist movements were set up in the eastern provinces as fighting erupted between the Ukrainian army and secessionist rebels.

Ukraine has accused Russia of helping the rebels, a claim the Russians deny.

A ceasefire was agreed two weeks ago and under the terms of the agreement Ukraine has promised more autonomy to the pro-Russian eastern regions.

But sanctions against Russia imposed by the EU and the US are still in place.

Dr Sant, a former prime minister, said the debate in the European Parliament had not removed his doubts that enough importance was given to the interests of the people in eastern Ukraine. He quoted a previous statement by Dr Vella that the EU could have better handled the Ukraine issue at the outset when it started talks on the association agreement.

“It had started talks on economic and commercial association without considering the strategic and diplomatic consequences. Then the consequences that resulted started being ignored as well,” Dr Sant said.

He added each side was trying to influence the other through sanctions that hit ordinary people. Military action on the ground had further complicated the situation, he said.

Dr Sant’s abstention was criticised by David Casa, head of the Nationalist Party delegation in the European Parliament.

“As a small country on Europe’s periphery, Maltese MEPs should be all the more sensitive to Ukraine’s plight. We should be informed of the reason for the abstention of Labour’s head of delegation,” Mr Casa said.