New efforts will be unleashed during the next mandate of the European Parliament to limit the flexibility of EU member states on taxation, former Prime Minister and EP candidate Alfred Sant said.

This is not in Malta’s interests. Malta should defend its sovereignty to decide its taxation policy, to implement a flexible taxation system that compensates for its special circumstances in the periphery of Europe, he said when addressing a political activity in Qawra.

Alfred Sant said that if elected in the European Parliament he will further defend Malta’s sovereignty in taxation policies.

“This will be my priority. There is much to lose if Malta is deprived of its taxation’s flexibility.  I don’t want financial services to suffer the same fate that agriculture and the manufacture sectors experience since we joined the EU.”

Alfred Sant said that if he receives the support of the Maltese and Gozitan electorate he will insist that European unity should not be based on a one-size-fits-all model.  This is damaging to Malta’s interests. He will further emphasise that Malta and Gozo be given preferential treatment to compensate for their fragile circumstances.

He will also contend that Europe should reduce the existing economic and social differences between West-East and North-South. And above all he will strive so that Europe regains the social conscience which it lost with the austerity measures of 2008.