Leader of the Nationalist Party Simon Busuttil is in favour of banning the full-face veil in public spaces. In a reply to questions sent by The Malta Independent on Sunday, the Leader of the Opposition said he endorses the European People’s Party (EPP) resolution. Dr Busuttil was referring to a resolution which was adopted during the EPP congress held here in Malta. The resolution is titled ‘For a cohesive society: Countering Islamic Extremism’.
This was the theme which dominated the speeches by EU leaders who came to Malta on 29 and 30 March for the congress of the biggest political family. The speeches delivered by leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel, were all targeted to combat the rise of populism. As Dr Busuttil himself had explained, this congress was at a crossroads as many were questioning the future of the European Union. The event took place 48 hours after British Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon.
Replying to the questions sent by this newspaper, the PN said that it abides by this resolution for two reasons; “security and because seeing one another’s faces is an integral part of human interaction in Europe, including Malta”.
Locally, the issue re-emerges every now and again. The government’s position on the matter is still a bit vague. There were hints suggesting the government will be clarifying the law on what is legal and what is not when it comes to wear the full-face veil. Minister for Civil Liberties Helena Dalli did state her position at least once while speaking at a political activity in Birzebbuga. “A person should not cover his/her face in public if this will make others feel unsafe,” she said, pointing out that in an open society people should not cover their faces. When pressed by journalists to explain her views, the Minister said she believes that banning Muslim women from wearing the burqa and niqab in public would not impinge on their rights to religious expression.
PN MPs have, on more than one occasion said that the government should update the law and make it clear when referring to any veils or garments which cover the face. One of the MPs who voiced his concern on this issue was Clyde Puli who said that the government should ban the use of the full-face veil immediately. Shadow Minister Jason Azzopardi expressed a similar view on the matter.
When the issue of security raised, Minister for Internal Affairs Carmelo Abela clarified that the police force has no legal basis to take action against women who wear the full-face veil. When the photo of a woman wearing the niqab while driving in Msida was uploaded online, generating numerous racially offensive remarks, the police force had told this newspaper that driving around wearing full-face Islamic headwear might raise suspicions and safety concerns but the practice is not illegal.