Sant abstains on EP resolution over endorsement of Nato

Labour MEP Alfred Sant has insisted that Malta, a neutral country, is specifically barred by its Constitution from participating in military alliances during a sitting of the European Parliament on the Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union.

Sant, who upon election as prime minister in 1996 had taken Malta out of Nato’s Partnership for Peace, said he was not voting in favour of clauses in resolutions presented to the European Parliament which refer to common operations of the EU with NATO.

He abstained on the final vote on the report ‘Financing the Common Security and Defence Policy’ where he noted that in the text that security cooperation and joint action by the EU as a whole “in collaboration or in tandem with NATO” was being endorsed.

“I’m not in agreement, so long as it is clear that such references do not include or cover neutral states that are members of the EU, unless these autonomously decide to be so associated; and this not least with particular reference to Malta, which as a neutral country, is specifically barred by its Constitution from participating in the programmes of a military alliance.”

Sant voted in favour of two other reports on the ‘Common Security and Defence Policy’ and ‘Security and defence capabilities in Europe’ but expressed the same reservations on the neutrality of Malta.