Edward Scicluna today welcomed the statement made by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to Parliament on the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Dr Gonzi confirmed the agreement negotiated by Prof Scicluna as one of Parliament’s Rapporteurs on the ESM which ensures that Malta will have the same rights as all other eurozone members with regard to the ESM.
Responding, Prof Scicluna said:
“I am pleased that the Prime Minister is happy with the deal that I and other colleagues negotiated with the European Council on the ESM. After being presented with a text that was legally ambiguous and potentially could have restricted access of small countries to this fund, we pushed Council into making some important changes.”
“We no longer have to worry that Malta could be put in the position of paying into this fund but without having the right to access it should a crisis arise.”
Referring to a debate in Parliament in February when Dr Gonzi had criticised Prof Scicluna’s insistence on ensuring guarantees for small EU Member States, on the grounds that he was talking down the Maltese economy, Prof Scicluna merely remarked:
“I’m glad that Dr Gonzi has changed his mind.”
Kuntent li l-Prim Ministru bidel fehemtu dwar il-garanziji tal-ESM – Edward Scicluna MEP
L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista l-Professur Edward Scicluna esprima s-sodisfazzjon tiegħu li l-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi nhar it-Tnejn, 4 ta’ April fil-Parlament feraħ li Malta se tkun tista’ tibbenefika mill-Mekkaniżmu Ewropew ta’ Stabbilità. Is-sodisfazzjon tal-Prim Ministru jikkonferma li l-ftehim li rnexxielu jwassal għalih l-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Malti bħala wieħed mir-Rapporteurs tal-Parlament Ewropew fuq dan il-Mekkaniżmu, magħruf bħala ESM, jagħti l-istess drittijiet lil kull pajjiż membru taż-żona ewro hu x’inhu d-daqs tiegħu.
Prof. Scicluna sa minn meta wasal għandu l-mod kif kien propost li jitħaddem l-ESM, kien iddubita mill-ambigwità tal-proposta u kien tal-fehma li dan potenzjalment seta’ jirrestrinġi l-aċċess għalih minn naħa tal-pajjiżi ż-żgħar. Flimkien ma’ rapporteurs oħrajn ħadem bis-sħiħ biex b’negozjar mal-Kunsill Ewropew jiddaħħlu bidliet importanti fil-proposta.
“Ninsab sodisfatt li l-Prim Ministru huwa ferħan b’dak li rnexxielna nagħmlu. Issa m’għadx hemm lok għal tħassib li Malta tista’ tinġieb f’pożizzjoni li filwaqt li tikkontribwixxi għall-fond ma jkollix aċċess għalih jekk tkun fil-bżonn,” qal Prof. Scicluna.
Fi Frar li għadda fil-Parlament Malti l-Prim Ministru kien ikkritika lill-Professur Scicluna li bl-insistenza tiegħu li jkun hemm garanziji għal pajjiżi membri tal-Unjoni Ewropea li huma żgħar, kien qed jagħti impressjoni ħazina tal-ekonomija Maltija.
“Ninsab kuntent li ISSA l-Prim Ministru bidel fehemtu,” qal Prof. Scicluna.