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Former Prime Minister and Maltese MEP Alfred Sant said that all indicators point to Brexit between the UK and the EU, saying that a UK Government spokesmen informed him that the UK government is focused on closing the negotiations with the EU by the end of November, with only 5% of the negotiations remaining to be finalised.
“Both sides are aiming at an amicable divorce.”
The Maltese MEP said that the economic forecasts for the Maltese economy are still positive for the next two years, irrespective of Brexit negotiations. “The Maltese economy is now mainly based on financial services and tourism,” two sectors which he says he has consistently defended at the European Parliament even after the EU put financial services under its search lights during the last years.
Sant mentioned the importance of an air traffic agreement between the UK and Malta after Brexit, taking into account that 40% of tourists visiting Malta come from the UK.
“UK government obligations towards Maltese citizens will continue. Brexit will not affect bilateral agreements between Malta and the UK in the medical field, treatment of sick persons in UK hospitals and in education. EU scholarships to students wishing to further their studies in UK Universities will cease with Brexit. However those Maltese already working in the UK will not be affected by Brexit.”
“Commerce with the UK will depend on the commercial agreements reached by the two sides. Small businesses in Malta, primarily the importation of second hand cars from the UK, may be affected with new tariffs which may be introduced.”
Sant said Brexit will negatively affect the European Budget (2020-2027) because the UK is the second largest contributor to the EU after Germany.
“It is a fact however that the 27 EU member states kept a united front during the Brexit negotiations, much more than than the UK government did. It’s in the interest of the EU and the UK to maintain the best relations in the fields of security, terrorism, criminality and defence,” he said.
The EU, China and Japan agree on a multilateral policy on commerce with the exception of the imprevedibility of Donald Trump’s government in this sector.
When asked whether he will be contesting the European Parliament elections in 2019, Sant replied that he will take into account the interests of Malta and the Labour Party when announcing his decision later this month.
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