Malta is prepared for a no-deal Brexit scenario, European Affairs Minister Helena Dalli told The Malta Independent this week.
After almost two years of negotiations and turmoil, the Brexit situation has arrived at a crucial stage wherein the deal for Britain's divorce from the EU now facing the House of Commons.
However, British PM Theresa May has a fight on her hands to get the deal approved with figures from her own amongst the vehement opposition, with a vote of no confidence in her leadership being instituted by prominent MP Jacob Rees-Mogg and supported by over 20 MPs.
Other parties have also displayed their displeasure at the deal, and the DUP - who are in coalition government with the Tories - have pledged that they will vote against the deal as well.
As a result of this political turmoil, many political analysts have agreed a no-deal Brexit is a very real possibility that has to be given due consideration.
Addressing a business breakfast in Malta, Chief Economist at the Institute of International and Economic Affairs Dan O'Brien in fact said that whilst there was - in his mind - a 15% chance of Brexit not happening at all; the overwhelming possibility was that the outcome would be a no-deal scenario.
Asked by this newsroom how a no-deal Brexit would affect Malta, Dalli said that the affect would have to be looked at on a sector by sector basis, with elements such as human rights and businesses being but two of the sectors that would obviously be affected by the divorce.
Dalli said that "nobody wants a no-deal situation" to happen, but that Malta is prepared and that in recent days she had given a presentation on Malta's preparedness for a no-deal Brexit to the committee of European foreign affairs, and that they were keeping abreast with the situation as it was developing.
The minister said that the first priority had always been to secure measures for Maltese citizens living in Great Britain and for British citizens living in Malta. She said that discussions on future with the United Kingdom where at an "important and delicate phase", and noted that even for the business sector such discussions are important due to the strong economic relationship between the two countries.
She concluded that in each sector there is already a framework agreement that will provide the basis on how to move forward in the case of whatever scenario pans out when the House of Commons votes on Theresa May's Brexit deal with the EU.
from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2AC7hOP
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