Feedback to the citizenship scheme was overwhelmingly negative and had led to Malta being ridiculed, even on an international level, Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil told Parliament yesterday.
However, the Opposition wanted to work with the government to find consensus on the scheme.
In a speech often marked by shouts from both sides of the House, Dr Busuttil said Malta had lost a lot of respect internationally and in the EU.
Dr Busuttil said that even though such schemes fell within the government’s competence, the repercussions were felt on a European level and therefore cooperation on the matter was expected.
An EU member state was not only granting citizenship to its own country, but granting EU citizenship. EU treaties placed clear obligations.
The damage was done, he said, but nevertheless it was now time to do something about this by re-evaluating the scheme. The Opposition remained prepared to work with the Government on finding the desired consensus.
Turing to the Budget, Dr Busuttil said that the government was quick to accuse him of not knowing how to carry out proper economic analysis, yet three days later the EU Commission came out with economic analysis identical to the Opposition’s.
Dr Busuttil said the Opposition was also ready to seek consensus on public holidays, welcoming President George Abela’s proposal to have Independence Day and Republic Day as Malta’s twin national days.
The PN also wished consensus could be reached on party financing.
Introducing the debate, PN Deputy Leader Beppe Fenech Adami said that despite Prime Minister Muscat speaking about the need for the law about party financing, it was scandalous that the Labour Party was already lining its own pockets, with the €10 million through Australia Hall. The PL had to explain to the public how it stole so much public and private property to make them into party clubs.
He acknowledged that the Commission for Justice Reform was doing a good job.
However, the biggest problem continues to be court delays due to mismanagement. Dr Fenech Adami stressed the importance of respect towards the country’s institutions.
It was unacceptable in a democracy for the police commissioner to describe the Magistrates’ Court as “the lowest of the lowest courts”. He needed to answer for this statement.
Turning to Mepa, Dr Fenech Adami said one could go back to the time when the minister inter-fered with permits, and the country ended up with such an appalling state of affairs.
Nationalist MPs Toni Bezzina and Ryan Callus also took part in the debate.