The Labour media is up in arms and putting the blame of what has happened in the European Parliament on the Nationalist Opposition. This argument does not hold water as a similar situation already occurred in the past when Toni Abela failed the test: that time too the Labour media blamed it on the PN.
The truth is that Leo Brincat is making history for the wrong reasons. Many are presently focused on the vote of the European Parliament, which gave a convincing vote against Brincat’s nomination to the European Parliament. But there is more to this than just a negative vote by the European Parliament. Brincat’s saga is also shedding new light on what really happened when Toni Abela did his bit and also failed.
This time round, the media gives the astonishing news that Leo Brincat decided to forbid two of Malta’s top EU representatives to assist him in his bid to make it to the Court of Auditors or even be present at his grilling. At first, it appeared that this stand saved the day.
I am concerned that for Leo Brincat to overcome the first hurdle, he had to block Marlene Bonnici and Cyrus Engerer, who are Muscat’s two buddies in Brussels. What Brincat told Cyrus Engerer comes as no surprise. Engerer’s name surfaced in the nomination of Toni Abela. What may appear to be a greater surprise is the fact that he also instructed Marlene Bonnici, who is our top diplomat in Brussels. Her name was never mentioned with regards to Abela. One may recall that Bonnici replaced Richard Cachia Caruana after Parliament ousted him from his post and she got the post with his blessing.
Interestingly, this bit of news confirms what has been circulating regarding Toni Abela’s failed attempt to make it to the Court of Auditors. At that time, the name of Cyrus Engerer was mentioned. Government, and in particular the clique at Castile, attempted to protect Engerer, declaring that it is not he who has to be held responsible for Abela’s downfall but the Nationalist Party. Brincat’s action confirms what the media printed back then. Engerer was the person who was to be held responsible. In this context, I must declare that I sincerely feel sorry for Abela, as he deserved better. Yet, this case goes to show how cruelly ruthless politics is.
Yet, the twist in this story is Marlene Bonnici, who was Cachia Caruana’s protégé. I am surprised as Brincat’s move shows that she was considered by the Labour Government to be, together with Cyrus Engerer, responsible for Abela’s failure. By blocking these two individuals, Brincat appeared to have made it to the Court of Auditors.
However, this piece of news was followed by the disturbing news that, in a somewhat bizarre manner, Alfred Sant ended being one of the grand electors. It should be remembered that this was reported practically on the eve that the European Parliament took its vote. This confirms that the European parliamentarians follow what is being reported in Malta.
I do not think that it was ethically correct for Sant to form part of the voting team. His presence discredits the Socialists and European institutions. I am not against Sant participating in a voting process. But I am against a former Prime Minister, who has a vested interest in the result, sitting on the voting bench and deciding on the eligibility of one of his former ministers to be in the Court of Auditors. This only goes to show that the whole process for Brincat’s nomination was vexed from the outset. This must have had a negative effect on the vote taken by the European Parliament.
What is certain is that Brincat’s nomination has been blocked by the European Parliament. The Maltese Government thinks that it can go round this decision, as Poland did, by having the European Parliament’s vote overturned by the Council of Ministers. This is a dangerous political move. Already there is much discussion in Europe that the Council of Ministers has too much power. Indeed, it was one of the arguments used during the Brexit referendum.
What has happened at the European Parliament is a result of Brexit. A certain type of behaviour is no longer acceptable in Europe, it belongs to the past. The European bureaucrats know this very well. If they want to save the EU and their jobs, they have every interest to ensure that the Council of Ministers does not override a decision taken by the European Parliament.
One needs to remember that during the Brexit referendum, much was said about the fact that the European Parliament has no right to propose laws, which can only be proposed by the Council of Ministers. Parliament was presented as a sort of rubber stamp for the Council of Ministers.
Therefore, the vote against Brincat is going to be a sort of a testing ground to show that the European Parliament is indeed an institution that has power. In this context, it would be sheer suicide for the Council of Ministers to go against the European Parliament. If this happens, it would be used against the European Union. Those parties in Europe that are advocating for their country to exit the EU will use this case as a valid reason to leave the Union.
This explains why even the Socialists are now telling Muscat not to push on with the case at the level of the Council of Ministers. The negative vote for Brincat was so great that if the Council of Ministers vote in favour of his appointment, it would be sending a clear message that the unelected members that form this Council are riding roughshod on the elected members of the European Parliament.
In this context, Brincat’s saga goes to show that Government does not have faith in the woman that is heading Maltese European office in Brussels. In this situation, there is no other honourable option for this woman but to submit her resignation for, as Brincat’s stand confirms, she is no longer to be trusted.
It is also time for our Prime Minister to implement the necessary changes at Castile if he intends having an effective Presidency. If not, our Presidency will be used against our own country and, as in the case of Leo Brincat, Government is the sole entity responsible for such a debacle.
Nevertheless, this Government will continue hanging on to its old cronies even if they are a national liability because Muscat owes them much for having helped him win the last election.