Labour MEP Alfred Sant has issued an explanation of his votes in the European Parliament in which he said that Malta is a neutral country and is specifically barred by its Constitution from participating in the programmes of a military alliance.

Dr.Sant expressed his views during a debate in the European Parliament on the Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union.

He said that he was not voting in favour of clauses in the resolutions presented to the European Parliament which refer to common operations of the EU with NATO.

Dr Sant abstained on the final vote on the report ‘Financing the Common Security and Defence Policy’.

He noted that where in this text, security cooperation and joint action by the EU as a whole in collaboration or in tandem with NATO was contemplated and endorsed, he was not in agreement, so long as it was clear that such references did not include or cover neutral states that are members of the EU,

Dr Sant voted in favour of two other reports on the ‘Common Security and Defence Policy’ and ‘Security and defence capabilities in Europe’ but expressed the same reservations on the neutrality of Malta.