Priorities mentioned in the Budget for the Foreign Affairs Ministry do not do it justice, Shadow Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici said yesterday, adding that they were not written by or following consultation with Minister George Vella.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that the mentions of strengthening participation in the EU, relations with Russia, the US and the Gulf States and working for a solution in the Middle East were stating the obvious.
Furthermore, why say that we needed to take an active role in international fora and safeguard our country’s interests, when this was already happening.
An obvious example was the Commonwealth meeting attended last week, he said, which certainly merited a mention in the Budget.
The PN was in favour of holding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta. However, he said this would not be easy in such a short span of time and without the experienced people who had been removed from their roles.
Other abandoned priorities included efforts to improve relations with the Western Balkans and overlooking the Board of Review of Malta’s Representatives Overseas.
The report made a number of good recommendations, which the Budget ignored. A simple reference to it would have been sufficient, he said.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said more open debate on Malta’s strategy and the ministry’s priorities was needed.
He emphasised the need for continuity and consensus, saying that he hoped nobody expected the Opposition to bow its head to government decisions, which could have an impact on the future, without criticising if it did not agree.
Various previous PN foreign ministers have made Malta proud, leaving a clear mark on the sector, and couldn’t today be criticised for neglecting or failing to develop relationships with other countries.
Claims by the government that it had some special relationships or ties with new countries simply did not do anyone any good, he said.
The PN had granted dual citizenship to those born in Malta who emigrated, to those born abroad to Maltese parents and to anyone proving direct ancestry.
Dr Muscat caused some to take offence by putting these in the same box as those buying citizenship,
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said it was up to the ministry to clear up the negative impression created by this.
Since the PL, in its majority, was no longer against EU membership, there were no major obstacles to a stable foreign policy, and both sides also agreed on the Mediterranean policy, neutrality and the situation in the Middle East.
He said Malta should be committed to keeping the Union of the Mediterranean, Euromed, the Barcelona Process and the 5+5 alive and active. It should be careful not to lose its UN presence, as despite its size it had proven its relevance.
Stronger discussions between both parties on Malta’s future in such fora were needed.
Recent work with Italy, Greece and Cyprus was a step in the right direction, he said, especially with all that was coming Malta’s way in view of the EU Presidency.
Moving in the direction of building good relations with other countries was good, and should go ahead, albeit with caution.
Speaking on the newly-appointed ambassadors, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that with a limited budget, Malta would have to depend on the good qualities of Malta’s ambassadors. However, the government appointed people who did not have a diplomatic career.
Other Nationalist speakers were Ryan Callus, Albert Fenech and Marthese Portelli.