Government insists on six MEPs

The government has clarified that it is pushing for six seats in the European parliament, and not five, as stated in a recent document of the Intergovernmental Conference, highlighted by Alternattiva Demokratika.

The government said the document of the IGC Monitoring Group of the European parliament, quoted by Alternattiva, was incorrect and the government has taken action to ensure that it is rectified.

In a detailed statement, the government said it was working to ensure that Malta acquires a sixth seat in the parliament not only in the formal meetings of the IGC but also on a bilateral level.

"Malta has already obtained support from a number of countries which have come to realise that its position in this regard is well justified. This was confirmed a number of times by visiting dignitaries, including last week, during the official visits by the Czech Deputy Prime Minister and the Hungarian State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

The government said that its position had been reiterated on a number of occasions, including in the letter sent by Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in the name of the Italian Presidency. In that letter it was stated that Malta's position was that the minimum number of seats in the parliament for each member state should be six.

The government said the foreign minister had also reiterated Malta's position on a number of occasions in the past weeks, including in his intervention in 19th Meeting of the Joint Committee between the Maltese parliament and the European parliament held last month.

At that meeting, Malta's official position was, once again, made clear and a copy of the letter sent by Dr Fenech Adami was circulated as official documentation indicating Malta's position.

"The document of the IGC Monitoring Group of the European parliament, quoted by Alternattiva Demokratika, is therefore incorrect and the Maltese government has taken action to ensure that it is rectified," the government said.

On Wednesday, Alternattiva expressed disapproval of the official stand it said had been taken by the government on Malta's representation.