Keeping promises

Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Much is being made about the news that France is delaying the accession negotiations with Turkey in the economic and monetary chapter. In reality, this chapter is not one of the difficult ones unlike, for example, the complicated single market chapters. Once opened it won't take long to provisionally close it which means that this delay will be meaningless in the long term.

Despite Sarkozy's posturing, it is unlikely he will be around when the final decision about Turkey's EU accession is taken at least 10 years from now. Secondly, if countries start to go back from decisions that bind them such as the EU' s commitment made to Turkey, then that could be used as a premise by other countries (Poland, for example) to go back from what has already been agreed by the EU in relation to the new ReformTreaty.

 

Tough negotiations

Sunday, June 24, 2007
Sources in Brussels say that the Maltese delegation helped to hold up discussions at the European Council late on Friday by raising the issue of bird hunting, an issue which was not mentioned by the Government as one of Malta's 'red lines'. If this is the case, none of the Maltese media appear to have picked it up. Discussions dragged on following a tough negotiating position adopted by Poland. The conclusions of the European Council set a mandate for the basis of an inter-governmental conference that will draw up a Reform Treaty for the EU replacing the European Constitution.

 

Politique

Wednesday, June 13, 2007
French paper Le Figaro reports on the French Government's objections to the use of Sarkozy images to promote tourism in Malta. Curiously, the chief of the Malta Tourism Authority was forced to resign on the same day.

 

Sharing the burden

Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Malta has come up with a plan to share out illegal immigrants amongst EU member states but the idea is unlikely to go down well amongst European diplomats. A similar idea was floated unsuccessfully 15 years ago following an influx of refugees from former Yugoslavia fleeing to the EU via Germany.

 

New platform

Monday, June 11, 2007
It would be a pity if the new political party just launched by Josie Muscat turns out to be just another platform for the extreme right. My guess is that Anglu Xuereb, a respected entrepreneur who has some interesting proposals of his own, may come to regret his participation in Azzjoni Nazzjonali.