If he were really so convinced that the electorate backs this, he would have put it in his electoral programme, instead of sneaking it in afterwards when it was too late for the electorate to do anything about it
And let’s point out the obvious, shall we? Discussions with the European Commission should have taken place BEFORE the law was drafted and voted on in parliament.
Indeed, we were given to understand – falsely, as it happens – that such discussions did in fact take place and that the European Commission was perfectly all right with the idea of Malta selling passports.
The Malta Independent reported yesterday:
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat today expressed his conviction that the Maltese population backs the government’s citizenship scheme, and wants it to succeed.
Dr Muscat said that both the government and the EU Commission are ready to listen to each other’s views.
“Discussions are still underway, we have no problem with the Commission asking questions, but it has no legal basis on which to react,” Dr Muscat said.
Asked if the scheme will be suspended if infringement proceedings are opened, Dr Muscat said that “there is no point predicting what will happen.”
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http://www.independent.com.mt/mobile/2014-01-24/news/pm-convinced-that-maltese-population-backs-citizenship-scheme-3772219393/
From The Times of 10 October 2013
“Asked whether the scheme would raise eyebrows in Brussels – acquiring Maltese citizenship will automatically grant applicants EU citizenship rights – Dr Muscat said he anticipated no such problems.
“Just like the EU has no problem with other countries that do the same, I do not anticipate any objections because what we are doing is a member state’s prerogative,” he said, adding the country not only had to be courageous but also ambitious.”
Doesn’t look like he got it right, does it?
Does he ever get it right?
Didn’t Muscat say, in his fiery speech this week, that they had consulted with all the other EU members about the citizenship scheme?
Apparently what Muscat thinks of as “consultation” is that he tells you what he’s going to do and then tells you to stuff it if you don’t agree with him, preferably smelling some coffee.
The Citizenship scam plays out at core and consequence of both Domestic and Foreign Policy.
To Joseph Muscat, clearly, European matters are tackled -separately, and almost as a phenomenon – and not as part of our Foreign Policy. Hardly Domestic, as he had claimed, because if that were really the case, there would have been a modicum of respect and consideration of the other Union members.
One should retain with clarity that just as this scam was introduced devoid of a specific mandate from the electorate, neither have Joseph Muscat and his Labour Government got any mandate whatsoever to change the nature of Malta’s Union within Europe, which the first passport/ citizenship sold will have done.
Could we have some immediate clarity on Muscat’s full-term intentions all round?
There’s so much that wasn’t on the agenda, and what was meant to have been, isn’t there.
It is quite obvious that Labour planned the sale of passports well before the election but never wanted to disclose it to the general public for very basic and obvious reasons.
Hiding something like this from the electorate is immoral and deceitful, but it also shows that Labour itself knows there is something deeply wrong with its plans.
To add insult to injury, the scheme has been introduced in a very amateurish way that has drawn conflict both internally and with the European Commission and fellow member states.
Our government is selling access to the other 27 EU member states, something which it has no right to do.
If what Muscat says about popular support for his sale-of-citizenship is true, then he wouldn’t have been afraid of including it in his electoral programme, nor would be have tried to sneak the law through parliament and hastily past the public.
If he’s so convinced he should take up Arnold Cassola’s suggestion and hold a referendum at the same time as the EP elections.
This would cost next to nothing and it would settle the matter once and for all.
Why is Joseph Muscat allowed to lie so blatantly about this issue?
And why do Maltese journalists allow him to get away with murder?
Why is no one challenging his claim that he has the backing of the Maltese on this?
I simply do not understand how this country works and I fail to comprehend how he manages to continue to fool so many.
Let me just declare that, as a Maltese citizen – and part of the Maltese population – I do not back the government’s citizenship scheme.
Yesterday I had to spend an embarrassing half an hour explaining to a Polish acquaintance that most Maltese are against selling EU citizenship.
And that the Maltese economy is – or was until last year? – not on the brink of bankruptcy.
Her comment was that if we want to sell something, we should sell something which actually belongs to us.
Joseph is a living lie.
He keeps lying and lying and lying.
He told only one truth in the election campaign, when he declared that sometimes he has to say the truth.
Well, my guess is that that day is not far away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TnqBso1Wv8#t=23
Jekk ghandu l-bajd, jaghmel referendum.
Don’t you think you’re making a generous assumption here ?
I think that the PM is right when he says that he has the backing of the people, but in Mark Anthony’s style.
Muscat kollu loghob bil-kliem.
If infringement procedures are opened ‘what the heck’s’ reply will surely be ‘we or better I have listened thank you but no thank you’. Arrogant dictator surrounded by idiotic puppets.
“there is no point predicting what will happen.” – that basically sums up his total lack of foresight in all of his decisions up to now.
Excellent heading Daphne, well done.
How dare he say that the Maltese back this scheme? The majority don’t.
Nobody I have come across backs the programme, and nobody is fooled by the talk of investment. The people see right through it, piercing the flimsy veil. At best there would be backing were a residency requirement introduced.