| Author (Person) | Davies, Eric | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Details | 10.3.03 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 10/03/2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In the first of the referenda to be held by the 10 Acceding Countries, the people of Malta voted in favour of joining the European Union. The island thus seems set to become the European Union's smallest Member State from 1 May 2004. Observers reported that 91% of Malta's 300,000-strong electorate participated in the poll. The Financial Times said that 53.6% (slightly more than the 53% suggested by early results) of those who voted supported EU membership, with 46.4% voting against. The percentages equated to a majority of more than 19,000 in favour of joining the Union - a larger margin than that foreseen by some commentators, who thought the result might have hinged on just a few undecided voters. Announcement of the result apparently gave rise to noisy street celebrations involving supporters of the Government of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, which had campaigned for a 'yes' vote, saying it was vital for Malta's economy. There was particular concern for the fate of Malta's tourist industry; the 'yes' vote will be seen by some to give tourism a boost, partly by giving the island a higher profile and also by enabling it to join the eurozone, thus - it is argued - potentially cutting the cost of holidays on Malta. The economic argument for membership was, however, contradicted by the opposition Labour Party, which expressed concern that joining the EU would lead to job losses. The referendum result is not binding on the Government; a more significant gauge of public opinion will be the forthcoming general election. If the Labour Party forms the next Government, following that vote - the election will possibly take place in April - it has threatened to freeze Malta's move to join the EU. Nevertheless, the result will have come as a relief to the EU Member States and to the other Acceding Countries. As the Financial Times put it: 'With enthusiasm for the European Union waning in both existing member states and candidate countries, the Commission was clearly glad it had not fallen at the first hurdle.' The FT also quoted Commission President Romano Prodi, speaking after the result: 'This vote is a positive signal for the ratification process of this enlargement. This is a historic choice which will have a lasting impact for the future of Malta for generations to come.' Although supporters of enlargement will be heartened by the result in Malta, they know that tougher tests will follow - notably in the last two referenda to be held in Estonia and Latvia during September. The timetable for further referenda is:
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Eric Davies The people of Malta voted in favour of joining the European Union on 9 March 2003 in the first referndum to be held in the candidate countries on accession to the EU. |
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| Countries / Regions | Malta | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
