Following Commisisoner Viviane Reding’s declaration that the citizenship scheme being implemented by the Maltese Government infringes article 4.3 of the Treaty on the European Union, AD-The Green Party recommends that the Maltese Government immediately suspends the scheme’s implementation and opens negotiations with the EU on the matter.

This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo, Deputy Chairperson of AD, who added that although citizenship is a matter reserved for the member states, there still exists the duty of each member state to refrain from acting in such a manner as could impact other member states. This is the significance of the principle of sincere consultation, known also as the loyalty principle enshrined in EU legislation. It is also precisiely for this reason that the European Union is considering whether to initiate infringement priocedures against Malta.

AD Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: “Prime Minister Muscat must stop being obstinate and must listen to the voice of reason.  Unfortunately, because of his irresponsible antics, the Prime Minister has managed to give Malta a terrible international reputation, with the result that Malta has been condemned by the European Parliament, just as in the past Hungary, Italy and France were condemned because of the irresonsible actions of their respective leaders Orban, Berlusconi and Sarkozy.

Speech by Commissioner  Reding here

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Wara id-dikjarazzjoni tal-Kummissarju Viviane Reding li l-iskema ta’ ċittadinanza li qed imexxi l-quddiem il-Gvern Malti tmur kontra l-artiklu 4.3 tat-Trattat dwar l-Unjoni Ewropeja, Alternattiva Demokratika tħeġġeġ lill-Gvern Malti biex immedjatament jissospendi l-implimentazzjoni tal-iskema u jiftaħ negozjati mal-Unjoni Ewropeja dwar dan.

Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo, Deputat Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika li żied jispjega illi għalkemm il-politika dwar iċ-ċittadinanza hi qasam riżervat għall-istati membri, jeżisti l-obbligu ta’ kull stat fl-Unjoni Ewopeja li ma jagħmel xejn illi jkollu impatt fuq pajjiżi membri oħra. Dan hu is-sinjifikat tal-prinċipju tal-konsultazzjoni sinċiera magħruf ukoll bħala l-prinċipju ta’ lealta’ imnaqqax fil-leġislazzjoni Ewropeja. Huwa ukoll għal din ir-raġuni li qiegħed jingħad illi l-Unjoni Ewropeja qed tikkunsidra illi tiftaħ proċeduri legali kontra Malta.

Arnold Cassola, Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, qal “Il-Prim Ministru għandu jagħti każ tal-leħen tar-raġuni u ma jibqax iwebbes rasu. Sfortunatament, minħabba l-mod irresponsabbli ta’ kif qiegħed jaġixxi l-Prim Ministru, irnexxielu jagħti reputazzjoni negattiva lil Malta li waslet għal kundanna mill-Parlament Ewropew, bħalma fl-imgħoddi ġara lill-Ungerija, l-Italja u Franza li ukoll ġew ikkundannati minħabba l-aġir irresponsabbli tal-mexxejja tagħhom Orban, Berlusconi u Sarkozy.”