‘Malta not free from further deficit reforms’ - EP President Jerzy Buzek

Speaking in a special parliament sitting held during his visit to Malta on Monday evening, Buzek praised Malta’s strong economic showing during the global financial crisis as being among the last to enter recession but among the first to exit it, in 2009.

“It was your sound decision-making which has saved the country from the worst of the financial crisis,” he said. He added that Malta appears on-track with achieving its 2011 2.8 per cent deficit target. “Many member states could learn from your economic policies.”

He however cautioned the government that Malta is still not free from further reforms. “If you stop reforms, in a few years it could be worse despite the good example it is today,” Buzek said.

Throughout his address, Buzek urged Malta to make more effort to ensure its voice is heard in European institutions. “We need to continue hearing your voice to influence EU legislation. European law is not something invented in Brussels, but something that we create together and which we can all claim ownership of,” he said.

However, he added that he felt that, step by step, “we are developing a good relationship and becoming partners in making EU legislation better. Malta’s five, soon to be six, MEPs are an active group which is highly respected,” he added. “It is important that Malta’s people are well represented in Brussels. Bring us more of the same quality.”

However, Buzek pointed out, Maltese Women MEPs would also be most welcome. “I thought I would have a standing ovation,” he jokes, his statement met with silence from the House. “Ultimately,” however, he pointed out that ‘while it depends on your citizens in free elections, it also depends on you to see what ‘places’ women can reach.”

In his address, Buzek also drew comparisons between Malta and his own country of provenance, Poland, in that both Malta and Poland joined the EU together in 2004.

“Despite being two countries located in different corners of Europe, we shared the same hopes and dreams when we joined. Today, after almost seven years of partnership, it has been a great success for both countries. Our economies have grown strong, thanks to being in the EU, and it has helped us weather the storm of the economic crisis,” he said.

Referring to the challenges that the European Union is facing, such as spiralling international food and oil prices, climate change, illegal immigration, instability, insecurity, and terrorism – Buzek maintained that these can only be solved with “more Europe, not less.”

“These challenges are being felt not only inside the EU, but all over the world. Malta’s concerns are Europe’s concerns,” he maintained, as much it is the other way around. “We need common action and commons strategy - this is what makes EU strong. No country will emerge from the crisis alone – we need global answers to global challenges,” he said.

He affirmed that, in this light, it is crucial that EU member stats establish to implement the EU’s 2020 vision, describing this as “the economic crisis exit strategy.”

Referring to a Single Market Act report, proposed by MEP Louis Grech in a European Parliament Report on "Delivering a Single Market Act to consumers and citizens", Buzek emphasized the need for the EU to close its gaps in the international market – “something that is very important especially for countries far away from the centre of Europe.”

Buzek also referred to the way in which immigration and burden sharing is being handled by the European Parliament, affirming that it was the first EU institution to recognise the challenge Malta is facing and offer concrete solutions.

“We believe a member state should not be left alone in the face of such a challenge. It has to be our common responsibility – this is why we supported intra-EU burden sharing,” he said, promising that the European Parliament would keep its eyes on the issue.

He also welcomed the fact that a Maltese MEP, Simon Busuttil, is playing a central role as reporter in the issue. “Your voice is being heard,” he told him.

Buzek also played up Malta’s strategic importance as a key player in the Euro-Mediterranean region, emphasising the historic role the country has a bridge between European and African continents. “We rely on your expertise of Mediterranean relations – make your voice heard.”

Referring to the social unrest playing itself out in Tunisia and the breakdown of social order, Buzek affirmed Europe’s will and intention to assist the Tunsiian people to develop a strong and lasting democracy. “The EU has offered immediate assistance to set up elections. Malta is Tunisia’s next door neighbour. We need your advice on what else the EU can and should do,”

“A successful democratic transition,” he said, “would have long lasting implications for Malta, the EU the Middle East, and the EU as a partnership as a whole. Together, we need to get this right.”

In his own address that followed, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi echoed Buzek’s call for more female participation at a political level, affirming a commitment to keep working towards developing female participation at all levels.

“An extra chair would not go amiss and would help towards this end,” he remarked lightly, referring to the sixth chair European Parliament awarded to Malta. Referring the increased chair allocation granted as part of the Lisbon Treaty, Gonzi called on Buzek to “appreciate that that one more chair added to five is of immense value. This increase has a considerable importance than that of any other country.”

Gonzi said that this extra chair “will correct what I have no problem describing as an injustice committed in December 2002 when the Nice treaty assigned Malta five chairs instead of six.” He also drew Buzek’s attention to how Malta was the first national parliament to ratify the Lisbon protocol, an expressed hopes that other member states follow suit soon.

“I rely on you and the EP, to ensure that this allocation is granted as soon as possible,” Gonzi told Buzek.

Similarly, Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat also called on Buzek to ensure that the Lisbon treaty is ratified across al European member states without further delay – “A sixth chair, as the Prime Minister said, is not a marginal increase, but a significant one.”

Muscat questioned why the European Parliament has not, pending ratification by all member states, called Malta’s sixth MEP (along with those from other countries) to the EP to act as observers in the meantime. “The excuse that there is no agreement is neither satisfying nor reassuring,” he said.

“To me,” Muscat said, “it is an insult to democracy that after so much work by countries around the world, everything has to stop because of petty squabbles over procedure.” He urged Buzek to address the issue and also to consider that Maltese MEPs are facing difficulty in properly performing the function of scrutinising EU legislation due to limited research and assistance facilities.

Muscat also welcomed more female representation, “not for the sake of a quota, but because it is a dimension that needs representation not only on a political and economic, level, but everywhere decisions are taken.”

All three expressed solidarity with the Russian people in the wake of the massive bombing of a busy airport – a massive tragedy that left many dead and yet more wounded, as well as with the Tunisian people for the difficult times they are facing.