Loyalty to country, not party

My good friend Richard A. Matrenza (The Sunday Times, June 6), an ex-colleague of mine at the Campaign for National Independence (CNI), rightly referred to "the right to vote on a basis of universal suffrage" as having been acquired for the Maltese by a Labour government almost 60 years ago. But that "right to vote" had to be accompanied by another "right" for that vote to have any true meaning - the vote had to be a completely "free" vote!

Mr Matrenza also stated that "a recent factual process has made us become part of the newly enlarged European Union". What was indeed "factual" about that process was that it was grossly manipulated by the government in league with the EU Commission to obtain the result aimed for - the integration, or colonialisation, of Malta within the EU at all costs!

My friend Richard, just like the MLP today, did not make any reference to the way the result was obtained. As if voter deceit and "the electorate's will" have become one and the same thing!

In my letter of May 30, I had explained why I was not going to vote in the EP election: anyone voting in the EP election would be, indirectly, agreeing that Malta's republican Constitution is no longer worth the paper it is written on. Mr Matrenza did not dispute that fact. Nor has anyone else, I note.

While confirming that he is still "a strong Eurosceptic" - something which the present MLP leadership and other Labour speakers seem to be afraid of mentioning today - Mr Matrenza says that once he is still a party delegate and official, he "is discarding all personal feelings" and intended to vote in the EP election. He also appealed to all eligible voters "to abide by party loyalty and go to vote responsibly".

I cannot understand how "intelligent" people can discard their own principles to obey party directives, even when such directives go against their own conscience or principles. Being loyal to one's party - just as being loyal to one's company - should never be at the cost of doing what you consider to be an illegal act.

Undermining our Constitution by accepting that most of our laws are to be made by foreign unelected bureaucrats, and approved by a foreign parliament, is an illegal act as long as it does not have the backing of two-thirds of our MPs. The Malta-EU Accession Treaty, signed by ex-premier Dr Eddie Fenech Adami on April 16, 2003, was backed only by the Nationalist MPs.

Even in the European Parliament itself, there are times (as happened recently) when a substantial number of MEPs decide to abstain in protest against some EU law. Party or group loyalty comes second to what their own conscience tells them! Hence, non-voting is definitely another way how voters can clearly express their views, especially when there is no other way, as is the case of voting to elect persons in a parliament you do not believe in and which renders your country's sovereignty totally irrelevant.

It is only in dictatorial states that party loyalty "at all costs" is expected. Such as was the case in Mao Tse Tung's China, Stalin's USSR or Kim Il Sung's North Korea. We live in what is supposed to be democratic Malta. And our political parties are thus expected to be democratic and respectful of the diverse opinions of their members. Surely, upholding one's principles and political beliefs - even if, at times, these are contrary to your party's - is a sign of strength. Just as succumbing to whatever one's party says or does, is a sign of weakness and not of true loyalty.

Our true loyalty should be towards the Constitution of our country, which is what makes a country truly independent and sovereign. This is why I will never acquiesce to the dominance of the EU institutions over those of our own. This is not a matter of majorities and minorities. It is a matter which distinguishes men from mice!