Din l-Art Helwa is, by statute, a non-political organisation. As such, it does not express a public view on political issues.

In the political circumstances currently confronting Malta - with one major political party advocating membership of the EU while the other rejects it - Din l-Art Helwa does not therefore take a public position for or against Malta's accession to the EU. Individuals in our association must make up their own minds on what constitutes the best solution for Malta's future well-being and vote accordingly.

However, in the environmental and cultural heritage fields, which are so vital to our quality of life, Din l-Art Helwa considers that in order to reach a considered judgement, individuals should weigh up the answers to the following questions before they decide on the best way ahead.

Will Malta be better able to meet its current and future environmental challenges through being a part of the EU or outside it?

Will adhering to EU standards on the environment (on such matters as air pollution, water quality and waste management) benefit Malta or not?

Will the environmental benefits of adhering to EU standings be outweighed by the costs?

Are we better placed to achieve the right international standards on such environmental matters necessary to improve our quality of life outside the EU, or as an intrinsic part of it?

Is it desirable that Malta's traditional sport of hunting and trapping should conform to EU legislation or should Malta continue to set its own laws and regulations in this field? Does the agreement reached in negotiations with the EU give hunters and trappers too much latitude?

Is the need for environmental and cultural heritage improvements likely to receive EU funding and practical support or will the funding raised by Maltese governments suffice?

Will Malta's cultural heritage suffer adversely or will it gain from being part of the EU?

While Din l-Art Helwa is required to offer guidance on the answers to such questions it is not in the business either of itself adopting a political position or of laying down the political position to be taken by its members in an election.

Din l-Art Helwa recognises that on policy issues of such major national importance the answer is not always clear-cut.

It is a matter of weighing up the balance of advantage. It therefore invites all those who have the overriding interests of Malta's environment and cultural heritage at heart to consider the answers to the questions posed above very carefully by weighing up the guidance offered by the political parties on these issues, as well as that of Din l-Art Helwa and other NGOs or experts in this field.

However, if asked for advice, our reply will be: the balance of advantage in the environmental and cultural heritage fields (we stress "in the environmental and cultural heritage fields") favours Malta's entry to the EU which on these two issues would benefit by being in the EU, rather than remaining outside it.

Mr Scicluna is executive president of Din l-Art Helwa.