MEP Scicluna turns on Gonzi after Treaty report adopted with EPP support

The report, co-written by Prof Scicluna and EPP MEP Jean-Paul Gauzès, was approved by 33 votes to 6 with the main political groups, including the EPP of which the Nationalist MEPs are members.

Scicluna was criticised by the Prime Minister in the Maltese Parliament last week after he pushed for specific provisions to be added to the treaty change to ensure that Malta and other small EU Member States would be safeguarded by the stability mechanism.

"This vote demonstrates the blinkered complacency of our government. The Prime Minister should admit that his government has agreed to a treaty change proposal that could damage Malta's interest rather than wrongly accuse me of acting 'not in the national interest' and of failing to consult with his minister," Scicluna said.

"For the record as soon as I got wind of this Council proposal I had phoned our EU Ambassador Richard Cachia Caruana and had raised this with fellow MEPs including Simon Busuttil and David Casa for their attention during the monthly business meeting held in Strasbourg.

"MEPs from numerous EU nations and political groups including the committee chairwoman UK MEP Sharon Bowles, said that the proposal agreed by Council was 'dangerous' and could harm smaller EU countries. That is why we changed it."

Responding to the Prime Minister's accusation that his report was "not in the national interest" and "did the country no good", Prof Scicluna replied: "The fact that this government’s own European political group, the EPP, disagrees with it on this vital issue speaks volumes. It clearly shows that the Maltese government’s own distorted view is in a minority of one."