Alternattiva Demokratika has said that it strongly disapproves of Commissioner John Dalli’s decision to allow EU member states to decide on GMO cultivations on their territories.
Arnold Cassola, AD spokesperson on EU and International Affairs, said, “It is so ironic that whilst the European Commission is continuously harping on the need for Europe to act and speak with one voice, Maltese Commissoner Dalli is giving full freedom to each individual country to act as it wishes with regards to GMOs. National egoisms and the interests of particular business lobbies have been privileged vis à vis the interests of consumers and their health which, ironically, Comissioner Dalli is supposed to defend.”
Michael Briguglio, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, added, “By taking this decision, Commissioner Dalli has thrown the precautionary principle to the winds. The European consumer’s health concerns have been put aside, despite the fact that scientific evidence has not yet been able to guarantee that GMOs are safe for human consumption. The authorisation of GMO cultivations will result in an irreversible process of GMO contamination of fields. Farmers will by necessity become dependent on big-business GMO companies for crops and pesticides.”