Maltese Prime Minister Hints At EU Referendum In January 2003

by Robert Lee, Tax-News.com, London

29 October 2002

Speaking prior to his departure for a meeting in Denmark on Sunday, Maltese Prime Minister, Dr Eddie Fenech Adami revealed that the jurisdiction is likely to hold a referendum on EU membership in January 2003, making it the first of the current batch of pre-accession countries to do so.

This is the first time that the government has committed itself to a definite time-frame - in earlier statements on the subject, the first half of 2003 was hinted at, but no further detail was given.

Outlining just some of the potential benefits of European Union membership, Dr Fenech Adami stressed that post-accession, Malta would have a Commissioner representings its interests within the EU, the Maltese language will become one of the body's official languages, and employment opportunities in the jurisdiction would increase.

However, observers have suggested that the deep division between the Government, the Opposition, and their respective supporters over EU membership in Malta will be played out not only in the forthcoming referendum, but in the general election, which must be held by January 2004 at the very latest.

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