CNi celebrates, prepared for 'war' against Sant

Former Labour Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici said yesterday that Opposition Leader Alfred Sant was being "illogical" about the EU Constitution and that his arguments showed the absurd position he was in.

Speaking at a press conference to celebrate the victory of the French "No" vote in Sunday's referendum, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said the position of some of the socialists in France should serve as a model for local labourites, because they were instrumental in swaying the opinion of people away from the official position of the Socialist Party.

"The same person who urged the electorate to abstain in Malta's EU referendum is now arguing it is stupid to abstain. Other MLP spokesmen said it was political madness to abstain. Were those who abstained two years ago resorting to political madness?" Dr Mifsud Bonnici asked.

He said the concept of abstaining was even included in the European Constitution.

He accused Dr Sant with being inconsistent, first voting against the Accession Treaty two years ago and now saying he would vote for it.

The former MLP leader said he was amazed at how Dr Sant was saying that CNi had not taken part in the campaign against EU membership.

Eddie Privitera, another prominent CNi member, read out a list of activities the CNi had organised including the putting up of billboards, inviting foreign speakers to Malta, holding press conferences, meetings and debates as well as participating in television programmes that the Labour Party boycotted.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he found it strange that the MLP leader was attacking the CNi, and the CNi had no option but to defend itself.

"If he wants war, he will get war. But it is important for people to realise is it not the MLP that is saying all this, but Alfred Sant," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

He continued that it was rather ironic that Dr Sant was accusing the CNi of not taking part in MLP activities when they were denied air time on the party's television and radio stations.

The government and the opposition should not waste time in Parliament discussing the EU Constitution because with the French "No", it could not come into force, he maintained. Parts of it might have to be changed to make it acceptable to the countries objecting to it, he argued.

Although the MLP parliamentary group and the party executive had pronounced themselves in favour of the Constitution, the party was still bound by a motion adopted in November 2003 to re-negotiate the accession treaty, rather than accept it.

"The MLP should show some respect to the 134,000 who had voted for its anti-EU policies at the general election, and not betray them in this manner," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

There were many who supported the anti-EU view and that was why the MLP leadership had gagged the debate by forbidding meetings not only in its clubs but also activities outside them, he said.

"But I want to assure labourites that they are the party and they should urge delegates to show the party that it should at least abstain from voting on the EU Constitution to safeguard Malta's Constitution," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

A website with information on the implications of the EU Constitution can be viewed at: http://kostit.topcities.com/Kost.htm.