Tuna incidents: A great concern

Environmental organisations that damaged private property to reach their aims were putting themselves in a state of illegality, Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil said this afternoon.

Asked about yesterday’s incident during which two Maltese divers were injured during a clash with conservationists while towing a tuna pen to Malta, Dr Busuttil said it was a matter of great concern especially since tuna fishing was legal and heavily controlled.

“We seem to have entered into a new strange phase of confrontation,” he said adding this was a delicate issue and appealed for moderation and respect to the rule of law.

He insisted that ripping a tuna cage was, in itself, illegal.

Dr Busuttil was asked about the incident during a joint news conference with MEP David Casa, held to give an overview of their work in the EP over the past year.

When asked about the Euro crisis, Dr Busuttil said that Nationalist MEPs’ position was that of the EPP, which was in favour of better economic governance and of the stability package agreed between member states.

They were also in favour of greater EU surveillance on the budgets of member states.

However, they were against any attempt to harmonise taxation across the EU.

Dr Busuttil said member states had to be responsible and disciplined and not depend on other countries bailing them out.

Mr Casa said even Malta had to ensure it had sustainable finances and had to address the longer term issues, such as whether to increase the pensionable age. He called on the Labour Party not to turn these issues into a political football.

Talking about their part year in the EP, the two PN MEPs said , among others, they compiled eight reports against Labour’s three. They also filed 82 Parliamentary question against Labour’s 15.

However, Mr Casa said the five MEPS were working much better together and meeting every month to coordinate their political work.

He hoped that this new way politics, adopted by MEPs in Brussels, would also be adopted domestically.