The future of Europe

This Saturday 5.35pm (repeat Sunday 7.15am) I will be participating in a TV programme debating European values on Super One channel. The programme Sejjahtli is moderated by Joyce Cassar and will feature a panel consisting of Peter Serracino Inglott and myself. Fr. Vanni Xuereb, the Church’s EU representative will also be featured in the programme. The issues raised will include the relationship between Christianity and Islam and the future of Europe.

For some background reading to the programme:

Silent Battles by Joe Vella Bonnici:

Last month, some one million Europeans signed a petition requesting the EU to accept a reference to Europe's Christian heritage in the proposed constitution. The mobilisation of public opinion on such a scale came in the aftermath of the flat refusal given by the EU Commission to the request of seven largely Catholic member states, Malta included. The Vatican too lobbied hard.

The EU Commission felt it appropriate that the constitution does not go beyond an ambiguous mention of the "cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe". Now the EU Commission has confirmed that come late 2005, it will start accession talks with Turkey, a largely Muslim state. Not everyone agrees that Turkey joins the EU. Right-wing parties have already expressed a preference to offering a special partnership rather than membership. The latter is seen as another blow for the historical and religious identity of Europe.

Offering EU membership to Turkey is perhaps designed to secure the country for secularism. It is also a clear signal to Europeans, including the 10 million or so Muslim citizens, that its values of liberal humanism are blind as far as religious faiths are concerned.

The inclusion, or otherwise, of Europe's Christian heritage in the Constitution, is more than just a battle of words. The final outcome could have legal implications once the EU's constitutional text comes into force. It could possibly influence future court rulings on such issues as euthanasia, divorce, abortion and human cloning.

Our Parliament is expected to discuss the EU constitution soon. Hopefully, we will get to know how Malta looks at some of these issues.


'Why God stays out of it' - Peter Serracino Inglott in The Tablet

'A balancing act' - Interview with MaltaToday