“The Maltese Presidency has passed over to its successor a state of play that in most sectors, gives much hope of further progress soon,” Head of Maltese S&D Delegation Alfred Sant told the European Parliament.

“Some indications regarding future prospects on immigration, Brexit and tax policies can be read from the experience of the Maltese Presidency, added Dr Sant.

He remarked that “first, on immigration, the Union still lacks cohesion, as Prime Minister Muscat has just said. But can this emerge through the normal deliberations that go on under different presidencies, six months by six months under the present process? We need a special effort.”

The MEP pointed out that,”Brexit talks have got off to a slow and ambiguous start. The danger here is that instead of reaching for an outcome that is politically fair and strategically smart, both sides get stuck in details.”

“Issues relating to tax policies and financial services are increasingly being subjected to opaque, many sided calculations at the levels of the Council and Parliament” said Dr Sant.

He went on to say that under the Maltese Presidency, some very good work has been done. “This is a statement of fact, not indulgence in national feel good.”

“There was painstaking preparation for it and an all out commitment to get the job done, that has been acknowledged a number of times already,” the MEP said.

“Unfortunately, meanwhile, efforts were made – in this Parliament too, as we just heard (MEP David Casa had just addressed the European Parliament) – to denigrate the Maltese government with claims that the rule of law was not being respected in Malta,” said Alfred Sant.

“These clumsy allegations did not succeed in derailing the work of the Presidency,” stated the Maltese MEP.

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