European Parliament votes: 560 AGAINST the sale of citizenship; 22 FOR sale of citizenship; 44 abstentions
The reportage is confusing, because those who voted FOR the motion are voting AGAINST the sale of citizenship. People only pick up the ‘for’ and ‘against’ and that’s where the confusion happens.
So to put it simply, 560 MEPs voted against the sale of citizenship, while 22 voted for it and 44 abstained.
The motion is non-binding, but it is such a strong and determined message, uniting all the parliamentary groups, that the Maltese government would not do well to press on in defiance.
The prime minister and his aides told us a couple of days ago that the specific reference to Malta, in the resolution text, had been removed thanks to the hard work of Labour MEPs and the support of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament (whose leader, incidentally, is one of those who spoke out most strongly against selling citizenship).
Malta’s name, however, was not removed at all because, to quote Times of Malta just now:
Attempts for references to Malta to be deleted were overwhelmingly rejected.
There is no way our government can now persist in claiming that it is the Opposition and its fellow travellers who have created all this opposition to the plans to sell EU citizenship.
There is no way on earth that the Opposition has that much influence on the entire European Parliament, including Labour’s own parliamentary group, and on the world press. It is particularly ludicrous when you consider that this is a political party which could not even persuade the Maltese electorate to vote for it a year ago – now suddenly it’s supposed to have been transformed into an organisation with magical powers of persuasion.
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I’m surprised at the 22.
Most probably the Far-Right parties although I have no proof of this.
They could possibly include eurosceptics of the so-called Freedom Party. These MEPs are not so much in favour of the cash-for-passports scheme are against the EU and everything it represents.
Deduct four PL MEP morons from the 22 to get the right picture.
The 18 rather.
Maybe they’re just cabbages who couldn’t figure out the meaning of voting ‘for’ and against.
Less the four being Maltese PL incumbents.
Spot on Daphne as always especially your last paragraph. Well done!
Some comments on Times of Malta regarding the above issue are hilarious. You feel like banging your head against the wall.
Top marks go to a certain John Muscat with his “Victory for Malta, defeat for PN”
Next, I would put Privitera’s “those who voted against Malta can stick their votes up their…..”
X’injoranza, meskinita’, w arroganza. Vera segwaci denji ta’ sidhom.
I’m just scared the PL in government will try to pull us out of the EU.
I’m scared headless.
So is everybody else with a smidgen of sense
Straight into the clutches of China, which is where our government wants us.
Me too unfortunately! If so, we will surely face the consequences.
Yes, I agree. I have always thought the PL was trying to get us out of the EU because it has always had this old-fashioned isolationist mentality, and a dream to make Malta some sort of super power in the world.
They are very much like a certain type of Maltese man who likes to throw his weight around and act all bolshie even when he is not in any position to do so. I really despise these people.
And now here we have it, the vast majority of the EU are against us on this issue, and with such a majority that rivals even Muscat’s election victory our voice in the EU has now been reduced to nothing but a whisper.
However, to be honest I think this is what they have always wanted. And by they I don’t just mean the PL, but China. I have a horrid feeling that it was China that came up with this citizenship scheme and told Muscat that if he implements it they will fund his campaign and support him 100%.
Probably, first we’ll be out of the Schengen Area.
So unfortunate for our country.
The only saving grace of Muscat’s determination to press ahead is that pulling Malta out of the EU would scupper his scheme.
But I wouldn’t put it past the amoral little bastard to first sell the passports and then pull Malta out anyway.
No chance Lomax, otherwise our passport would be worth nothing.
If they pull us out of the EU, the commodity they want to sell will lose its value to would-be beneficiaries.
I have serious feelings that that is a long term aim of Muscat who spent so many years denigrating all that concerns the EU. He will defy the EU as much as possible until he will be ‘forced’ to withdraw Malta from the Union, and attach it to China’s apron.
F**k you all, you switchers! I hope you and your families will be the ones to be affected first as the country hits the ground.
I do not rule it out. Joseph Muscat is out-performing Dom Mintoff when it comes to obstinacy and brazenness.
I would not be surprised.
We tend to forget that through this scheme, as explained and exposed by Daphne herself, will increase the Government’s coffers (and some of his cronies’ pockets too) by over One Billion euros. He wants to prove the fact that he can ‘make’ money irrespective of being part of the EU or not (compare the money secured from the EU for Malta by Dr. Gonzi in February 2013).
This shame-scheme was conceived in secrecy, behind the people’s back. There was not one iota about it in the PL electoral manifesto. Then after the election, boom, straight into our faces. I will not be surprised if he has already planned in secrecy Malta’s EU exist.
With Labour, nothing surprises me. It is time for the people to take to the streets and show this Bully that he cannot trample on people’s rights and dignity just because he won the election with a handsome majority.
They won’t. Who would buy their passports otherwise?
How can the PL in government try to pull us out of the EU? With sale for citizenship the PL has tied Malta to the EU in a more robust way than Fenech Adami or Gonzi could have hope for.
He won’t pull us out cause no one would then but Maltese citizenship
They would not sell one single pass passport , I am surprised that no one has pointed out to the powers that be that if we were not members no one in his right mind would spend €100 let alone €650,000 to be able to obtain Maltese citizenship.
If Muscat pulls us out of the European Union his IIP passports will become unsaleable. Even he should be able to grasp that simple fact.
Massive
In my view it is checkmate, but the Prime Minister in his folly could well push on in outright defiance.
He claims to be within his sovereign rights to do so, but yesterday we heard legal arguments raised to the effect that this would be in breach of both the EU Treaty as well as of international law – arguments that Labour MEP John Attard Montalto himself conceded were of weight.
In any event, Malta would henceforth be considered to be an insincere rogue state, completely undermining what little is left of this government’s credibility.
One word of advice to the Prime Minister. You have been well and truly trounced. High time to recruit some higher calibre and more objective advisers, or just call it a day. You are not up to the mark.
Spot on!
You will see how he will be more isolated in the next EU heads of government meeting and how he will exert all efforts to appear otherwise.
And it is not advisable that the “higher calibre and more objective advisers” be recruited by providing them with IIP passports to introduce them into Malta to boost the local scanty talent. Let Muscat just call it a day before he causes more damage.
The Nationalist Party’s next electoral slogan should be something along the lines of “PN – And it’s back to normality”.
This is really not the ‘fresh start’ people wanted or were expecting.
Amazingly, since MLP took office, our country’s attitude and actions are no longer those of a normal, civilised EU member state.
Malta has never found itself in such a pitiful situation since the 70s and 80s. Not even during Sant’s administration. At least, the latter’s blunder (the VAT experiment), was a domestic matter, and not one which embarrassed the country on a European and international level.
But then, the people wanted change, and change they got.
Looking with hindsight, the slogan “Gas down ghal gol-hajt” wasn’t much of a hyperbole after all.
It’s quite sad that you have to explain the meaning of the for/against votes. I’m pretty sure that even the most ignorant have understood it, though, otherwise we would have witnessed a few carcades celebrating Joseph’s great victory.
Well, bet they will interpret this same as they did with PARTNERSHIP.
Partnership rebah.
The culmination of ten months of rushed, crazy and inept political decisions by our very own ‘gauche caviar’ political class.
They first prostituted Malta and now they have proceeded to shame it as never before in history.
And it seems that the PL is ‘proud’ to do so!
And nothing can stop them it seems as people are still in a trance.
So whilst the people are still dazed the PL government will continue barging ahead with questionable decisions.
Goodbye peace of mind and welcome instability and worry day by day what is going to happen next.
Again thanks to those who voted in PL just for the sake of change. The change is there for all to see that it is a change for the worse.
Unfortunately this isn’t going to change Dr. Muscat’s decision which is so pathetic since most of Europe is against the sale of passports.
It was just a matter of time until they demolished Malta’s reputation. What confuses me the most about the PL is that they were so ‘patriotic’ during the elections and now they are willing to do this.
I know politics is dirty but geez this is taking it a step too far!
The Maltese have spoken… hell, all of Europe as spoken, eat humble pie and stop this travesty.
I wouldn’t ask Mr J. Muscat to eat humble pie but to be a gentleman and remember that we depend on the EU. Getting out of it would be disaster.
Joseph Muscat cannot back down. This sale of passports scheme is the cornerstone of all his plans. If it fails, all else fails and to hell with all the promises he made before the election.
At full speed into a very strong reinforced concrete wall. Bang on, perpendicular to, and with faulty brakes.
And that wall has the ability to laugh at you.
What I fear most after all this, is that it’s not just Joseph Muscat who has been isolated on this one, but that MALTA will be eventually isolated!
Here is the full text of the resolution:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=P7-RC-2014-0015&language=EN
Stupidity is the same as evil when judged by the results.
Excuse my ignorance but I have a question. Let’s assume that, through some miracle, JM sees things for what they really are and decides to stop this irrational scheme. What happens if, in the meantime, some persons were already granted citizenship? It is legal as of now, no? Jew qed inhawwad?
[Daphne – Any citizenship sold now is citizenship sold. it is irrelevant whether the scheme is stopped or not.]
Biex inserrhu ras Tony L-Aspro halli jehodha leave u ma jigix ihammgilna l-iskrin tat-televixin: “Din tkaxkira ta’ 90% (disghin fil mija)” ghall-beneficcju tal-matematiku Sant li ghalih dawk l -44 jghoddu mat 22 li 4 minnhom huma their master`s voices.
It appears that Labour has inherited “The Wisest Fool In the Kingdom” from the Brits who they claim are aping their scheme. I will not be surprised if JM would tender the roadmap to the project for sale to the Brits just in case he falls short of the billion or should I say bouillon ?
Gordon Farrugia on the Times of Malta site commented:
“Dawn in-nazzjonalisti hlief hsara ma jafux jaghmlu. Vera ghandna opposizjoni distruttiva u bla sinsla. Ghat trid tkun vera ahdar biex taghmel reklam hazin lil Malta u ixxandarna mal-gazetti kollha li ssib ta barra biex tipprova taghmel il-bsaten fir-roti!!”
What a warped/blinkered/petty way of thinking.
As usual from his comments, Eddy Privitera got the other end of the stick.
and the stubborn prime minister is still going ahead with the scheme…. unbelievable!
Out of 950+ MEPs only 560 voted against the sale of citizenship and that’s only just about half.
That’s what I’m expecting Marlene Mizzi to write on her Face Book.
This is Joseph’s chess game to get us out of the EU while blaming the EU for it.
It is high time his SENSIBLE PARTY executives, if still around, try and knock some sense into him.
He will be cursed by our young if he continues on this suicidal mission.
He appears to think he has a God-given mission to save Malta from European colonialism, and he will declare that since the church did not come out against him, then he has the church’s blessing.
The corollary theorem is Muscat’s favourite: “Min mhux kontra taghna, huwa maghna”, the result of a dictator-type mentality.
This is second time he’s been defeated when it comes to matters EU, immigration push backs being the other one.
He needs advisors, fast. This one was a plebiscite, basically saying Malta needs to change direction or else.
On Net this morning, James Debono ironically described how he had wondered how Joseph’s ex-colleagues would have reacted, well, there you have it.
What’s absolutely worrying is how he’s been at this since September, mid-January and there’s a full omelette on his face. Three and a half months for this.
This man isn’t capable of doing the right thing, not when the rest of the planet, literally, told him how to do it. He’s pitiful.
Lights on till late in Mile End tonight. Brace yourselves for L-Ewropa ta’ Kajin.
Muscat’s stubbornness has led him into a dark alley. He will lose face whichever way he turns. My gut feeling is that he will carry on irrespectively, putting himself before country.
The Maltese government – read Muscat- has been heavily censored for its ungentlemanly behaviour. By association, so has every single person and entity backing him. I wonder how the president of the MHRA , and other lackeys, feel now after backing the scheme and praising Muscat for thinking out of the box. For shame.
Mr Joseph Muscat is a headstrong person. I believe that the EU saw no sense in Mr Muscat’s scheme. The citizenship is being sold so cheap that he really has to sell quite a lot of them to keep Malta on its feet. I hope you manage Mr Muscat as boycotts by the EU are no joke.
Dear Joseph, be a gentleman: RESIGN together with your stubborn cabinet and call it a day. ELECTIONS are due since you have failed to be honest with us before the last General Elections. You did something behind our back. You never promised the sale of citizenship before last March 2013.
Indeed, it’s a classic example of SHAME ON YOU!
The Chamber Of Commerce and MHRA should be equally ashamed of themselves for having endorsed the scheme .
Please do not forget that out the 22 MEP’s that voted for the sale of citizenship 4 votes are of the PL MEPs.
By comparing the diagram below to the one above in the title one can see that the 22 yay’s came mostly from the Far-Right, the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) which further proves a theory of mine. Around three came from socialists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2009_European_Parliament_Composition.svg
Most of the votes came from Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD), a right-wing Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament
Glenn and the Coconut did a MASSIVE job convincing MEPs to vote against.
Tal-misthija, but imagine if it were the other way round. The worst thing of all this though, is that everybody, including the E.U. is playing into the Prime Minister’s game. This is exactly what he wants.
He wants a rift with the E.U. and this is the second step of his plan.
He will lead to a point where he will blatantly say that the E.U. is against us. It did not help us with the immigration and it acted against Malta’s interest with the citizenship scheme. There will surely be more issues to follow. In the end, he will tell us that we do not need the EU, we have China.
Animal Farm is chicken feed compared to all of this.
This morning I met an Austrian gentleman and he said that there is a lot of money laundering in Austria and agrees that this sale of citizenship should end, so with cheap sale of citizenship what type of trash are we going to get? I dread the future of this little Island.
Muscat is still hell-bent on forging ahead with his psycho-babble of an investment scheme. What’s next? Indħil Barrani 2.0?
Viviane Reding did allude to some consequences, should Malta have disregarded the EP’s vote, but refused to elaborate further. What sort of repercussions do you think are in the pipeline, Daphne?
If Joseph Muscat continues to stick his head in the sand and continues to ignore the warnings from the EU, he will be endangering the workplaces and investment. It is high time that someone from the Labour Party confronts the Prime Minister.
Joey and his gang talk about mandates and majorities. Well, 560 to 22 constitutes a 96% majority. To put that in perspective using Maltese electoral numbers, it’s like a 322,000 majority.
How does that compare with his 35,000 majority?
Close call, that.
The votes by MEP have been published online. Apparently the 4 Labour MEPs, together with Kurt Farrugia, Glen Beddingfield, Louis Grech and God knows who else, only managed to convince 2 other European socialists to vote against the motion and just 1 other to abstain! The rest of the Socialists, including their leader who spoke at Labour’s pre-election meeting in Naxxar voted against Joseph Muscat’s Citizenship for Sale law. See full results here: http://www.votewatch.eu/en/eu-citizenship-for-sale-joint-motion-for-resolution-vote-resolution-as-a-whole.html
A sad thought just hit me: we are in a very similar situation I always remember my parents to be in when I was young, constantly worried about everything the government of the time was up to, both at home and abroad. Poor Malta. And poor us.
“We are extremely worried. An accident may be unlikely, but it is not impossible,” he said, accusing the UN of making his town “a dumping ground”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-25755767
International waters close to Malta
So, the surprise Muscat had for us in the last budget has exploded in his face. What now, our love?
Simon Busuttil and the PN should now let things take their course and leave Joseph Muscat to take the plunge albeit all of us will be the losers in the long run. Perhaps the switchers especially will realise their folly in trusting Joseph Muscat with the reins of power.
Let us go for a referendum. Just hope that this time around “we” will not be as stupid and shortsighted as we were back in March.
If JM continues with his crazy idea of selling Maltese and EU passports, then I think that Malta would only be entitled to Eur23214 per main applicant (less fees paid). The rest belongs to the other 27 member states.
Muscat’s ego has now been satisfied, but the reality has not yet dawned on him.
It’s Mintoffian diplomacy once more which has more to do with willy size than with politics.
There seems to be a block vote of abstentions. Does this represent a particular group or party. If so which?
[Daphne – Abstentions are not a vote, by definition.]
Ah! But then this is a ‘gvern li jisma’ …. or so we have been told. Pity that the European Parliament’s message is not clear enough for our ‘gvern li jisma’ it seems.
Gvern li jisma biss l-eku tal-vuci tieghu.
90% vote against Joseph Muscat’s Cash 4 Citizenship brilliant idea.
A truly “Hu Go Fik” moment for Joseph Muscat and his government of incompetents from the European Parliament.