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Eight years on since EU membership, Sant prefers ‘partnership’
Former Labour leader Alfred Sant gives his take on Malta’s accession to the European Union in an interview with sister-paper Illum.
12 May 2012, 12:00am
Julia Farrugia
Julia Farrugia
1 min read
Labour MP Alfred Sant
In an interview with sister-paper Illum, former Prime Minister and Labour leader Alfred Sant describes government as “caught in a trap” and “living a lie”.
Asked whether Malta’s situation has improved since joining the EU, Sant believes that what was promised prior to joining the EU did not take place.
“Actually membership only benefitted 20% of the population... The remaining 80%, largely those with average to low income, have been left behind,” Sant says, adding his conviction that his proposed ‘partnership’ with the EU rather than membership, was a better option for Malta.
Sant believes that Malta “rushed” into deciding to join the single currency, the euro.
“Look at what has happened! Never before have we had such an unstable currency. The euro crisis is still ongoing and definitely won’t come to an end by the day after tomorrow.
Julia Farrugia is a former editor of Illum newspaper.
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I read europhile james Debono's report on Malta's 8 anniversary of EU membership.In the column 'What dis eu sayP', James lists various quotes said during the run-up to the EU referendum. Among the quotes chesn by James, was the one abou "Sicilian hairderessers". True we have not had Sicilian hairderessers coming over, but we have certainly had Bulgarian and Romanian criminals, coming over and committing quite a nyumber of criminal acts. And we cannot send them back home as Malta belongs to them as much as uit belongs to us !On closing of factories predicted by Alfred Sant, is it not true that we have had a very good number of factories closing down ? So much so, that Austin Gatt said that he was reaDY TO BET THAT all CLOTHING FACTORIES WOULD CLOSE DOWN !! On Dr. DEMARCO'S FAMOUS QUOTE, THAT MALTA WOULD RECIEVE lm100 (NOT euros!)PER YEAR IN EU FUNDS, according to James, "eventually came in 2007"! I wonder whether James has read Dr. Sants comments in today's Malta Today. I am waiting to see if he will contradict Dr. Sant !
