Fuq il-passi ta’ Eva Peron

Il-logħob bil-kliem, tal-Gvern u tal-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat, dwar diversi issues legali u kostituzzjonali jixħtu dell fuq il-kredenzjali demokratiċi tal-Partit Laburista. Inbidlu diversi liġijiet biex ikun possibli li Membri Parlamentari jinħatru fuq diversi bordijiet, inkluż dawk ta’ xi awtoritajiet. Din l-azzjoni imminat il-proċess demokratiku għax biha l-Membru Parlamentari flok ma jaqdi dmiru biex jgħarbel il-ħidma tal-Gvern sar parti minn din l-istess ħidma. Dak mhux ix-xogħol tal-Membru tal-Parlament.

Il-Membri Parlamentari li nħatru fuq dawn il-Bordijiet qegħdin f’posizzjoni li ma jistgħux jaqdu d-dmirijiet tagħhom fil-Parlament b’mod adegwat. Kien ikun aktar għaqli li l-Parlament ħoloq l-għodda neċessarja biex ikun jista’ jissorvelja aħjar il-ħidma tal-Gvern.

F’dan is-sens Joseph Muscat qed jimxi fuq l-eżempju ta’ Lawrence Gonzi meta dan, fil-legislatura l-oħra (2008-13), ħoloq il-kariga ta’ Assistenti Parlamentari u ipprova jaħtar lil kull Membru Parlamentari fil-backbench f’xi kariga. Dan għamlu għal raġuni waħda: biex ikollhom x’jagħmlu u b’hekk ikun inqas possibli li jikkonfoffaw jew ilabalbu kontra l-Gvern.

Il-Prim Ministru qiegħed ukoll jilgħab bil-kliem dwar it-talba għal referendum abrogattiv liema talba diga ġiet ippreżentata. Filli jgħid li r-referendum abrogattiv isir jekk hemm il-firem rikjesti mill-liġi u filli jagħti x’jifhem li lest li jikkunsidra talba għal tnaqqis fl-applikabilita tal-provedimenti tal-liġi dwar ir-referendum abrogattiv. Dan il-logħob bil-kliem da parti tal-Prim Ministru hu ta’ ħsara ghall-proċess demokratiku.

Il-Prim Ministru ddeċieda ukoll minn jeddu li jaqbad u jgħaddi responsabbiltajiet fil-qasam soċjali lill-uffiċċju tal-President tar-Repubblika. Dan qed jagħmlu meta l-Kostituzzjoni hi siekta dwar dan, kif ukoll mingħajr ma kien hemm il-possibilita li jesprimi ruħu l-Parlament dwar il-materja.

Hu opportun li nagħtu każ ukoll li mart il-Prim Ministru qed tingħata ukoll rwol politiku fid-delegazzjonijiet governattivi Maltin barra minn Malta. Huwa biss f’pajjiżi fejn m’hemmx demokrazija jew inkella fejn id-demokrazija hi dgħajfa li l-Prim Ministru jagixxi b’dan il-mod. F’demokrazija mart il-Prim Ministru m’għandha l-ebda rwol għax meta l-Prim Ministru jkun għal xi raġuni indispost hemm id-Deputat Prim Ministru jew xi membru ieħor tal-Kabinett li għandu  jaġixxi minn floku. Hekk ikun xieraq għax il-Ministri jirrappreżentaw lill-poplu li eleġġihom. Iżda mart il-Prim Ministru ma tirrappreżenta lil ħadd.  Juan Domingo Peron kien jagħmel hekk: kien jibgħat lil Eva biex tirrappreżentah!

Jean-Claude Juncker: the empty promises of the European People’s Party

On Friday former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker during a visit to Malta said he plans to see that European solidarity on immigration does not remain an empty promise but that it becomes a reality. He said that he will try to address the issue of European solidarity, more so in the case of Malta and other small countries which are in a very strategic position.

In reply to a journalist who queried Juncker on his opinion relative to the proposal of the European Greens to overhaul the Dublin rules on immigration, Jean-Claude Juncker said that the European Commission under his leadership would consider the matter.

Isn’t this the same Jean-Claude Juncker who for the past 18 years, as Prime Minister of Luxembourg, sat on the European Council? Isn’t he the same Jean-Claude Juncker who during the past 18 years participated in the European People’s Party (EPP) leaders’ meetings preceeding every European Summit?

How can we ever believe such a statement that Juncker will consider the overhaul of the Dublin rules when he did not even include the issue in the electoral manifesto of the European Peoples’ Party approved on the 5 March 2014?

EPP Leaders who also form part of the Government in their respective countries have consistently opposed transforming the empty solidarity rhetoric into meaningful action. The past performance of Jean-Claude Juncker and his EPP colleagues is thus a guarantee that Juncker’s declarations in Malta are more of the same empty talk.

The decision to translate rhetoric on solidarity into meaningful action at a level of the European Council must be taken at two levels. At the level of political parties and at the level of governments. Most EPP leaders have repeatedly failed on both counts.

The Socialists are not any better!