Following Commisisoner Viviane Reding’s declaration that the citizenship scheme being implemented by the Maltese Government “infringes article 4.3 of the Treaty on the European Union,” AD-The Green Party said that it recommends that the Maltese Government “immediately suspends the scheme’s implementation and opens negotiations with the EU on the matter.”

This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo, Deputy Chairman of AD, who added that although citizenship is a matter reserved for the member states, there still exists the duty of each member state to refrain from acting in such a manner as could impact other member states.

“This is the significance of the principle of sincere consultation, known also as the loyalty principle enshrined in EU legislation. It is also precisiely for this reason that the European Union is considering whether to initiate infringement priocedures against Malta.”

AD chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said, “Prime Minister Muscat must stop being obstinate and must listen to the voice of reason. Unfortunately, because of his irresponsible antics, the Prime Minister has managed to give Malta a terrible international reputation, with the result that Malta has been condemned by the European Parliament, just as in the past Hungary, Italy and France were condemned because of the irresonsible actions of their respective leaders Orban, Berlusconi and Sarkozy.”

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