Labour spokesman denies unemployment warning

The Labour Party had never told workers they would end up unemployed if Malta joined the EU, Leo Brincat, the MLP spokesman on economy and finance, said yesterday.

Responding to accusations that Labour was using scare tactics over EU membership, he said the MLP had only told workers to ask their employers how membership would affect their enterprise.

He insisted, however, that while joining or staying out would not have any impact on big factories, membership would have a definite impact on others.

He also said that for Labour, the referendum was a non-event. It was not legally or constitutionally binding on the government, let alone on the opposition.

Mr Brincat was speaking at the final IVA movement activity on the penultimate day of the referendum campaign, during which Finance Minister John Dalli insisted that Labour's "partnership" option did not exist.

Responding to Mr Brincat's comment about the referendum, Mr Dalli said the people's decision was politically binding.

He slammed the reports being published by the MLP. Contrary to what Labour was claiming in its report on prices, a Eurostat report showed that prices in Malta were already similar to those of EU countries in the Mediterranean, Mr Dalli said.

In reply, Labour's joint spokesman on social affairs Marie Louise Coleiro said the government had admitted prices would go up in reports it had sent to Brussels. The government had said it would compensate for the increases but this would put new burdens on industry, she added.

Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo said that in 2,000 years the Maltese had never had an opportunity like this one. For while foreigners had always come to Malta to rule the country, they now respected Malta's sovereignty and were treating the Maltese as equals.

Malta, he said, should forget the wounds of the 1970s and 1980s and speak with a united voice. The country should show its capability in Europe, he said to applause.

Dr Vassallo said the whole country had been represented in the Malta-EU Steering Action Committee except for the Labour Party which had chosen not to take part. Labour was now saying it did not have information, but had it taken part in Meusec it would have had all the information it wanted.

Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that everyone, including the Labour Party, agreed that the EU was a positive development - and yet Labour portrayed the Union as a monster.

IVA Movement representative David Casa stressed the importance of Saturday's referendum in the country's history.