Maltese Opposition Leader Continues To Carp At Accession Process

by Harry Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

01 May 2001

The Maltese Independent on Sunday reported a speech by opposition leader Alfred Sant in which he continued to claim that his Labour Party's 'Switzerland in the Mediterranean' policy is attainable. This was the party which when last in power halted the island's progress towards EU accession, and which continues to create nervousness among international investors with such interventions.

Addressing Maltese Labour Party supporters over the weekend, Dr Sant said that proof of his contention was the agreement which was reached between Malta and the EU in 1998, during Labour's term of office. Furthermore, he added, countries like Switzerland, Norway, Israel and Iceland have struck deals with the EU to suit their particular circumstances.

Dr Sant believes that the best way forward for Malta is to set up an industrial free trade zone alongside the EU. As regards agriculture, a special agreement would be reached which would allow Malta and the EU to offer each other certain concessions. The MLP also envisaged a number of cooperation agreements covering the industrial, economic, financial, educational, health, environmental and security aspects, as well as the establishment of bilateral parliamentary cooperation.

On the other hand, Dr Sant pointed out, full membership would entail the adoption of a whole series of EU regulations in all sectors. He is right, but he can't by now realistically believe that he or his party are going to be able to stop the march towards accession, and probably achieves very little with his constant sniping other than to put off prospective investors.

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