The Maltese members of the European parliament must serve as a link between the opportunities offered by the European Union and the student, who must do his best to benefit from these opportunities.

This was the message put across by the candidates for the June 12 elections in the first of a series of debates organised by Studenti Demokristjani Maltin (Maltese Christian-Democrat Students) at the university, aimed at introducing the main candidates to the students.

The speakers at the first debate were Simon Busuttil and Roberta Tedesco Triccas on behalf of the Nationalist Party and Wenzu Mintoff and Robert Micallef from the Malta Labour Party. In front of a sizeable crowd, they discussed a number of issues central to the electoral campaign.

The topics included the change in the MLP's position vis-à-vis the EU, the candidates' values and principles, the conflicts that may arise between the European parties and the national interest, the lack of participation by the MLP in the MEUSAC and the opportunities for students and youths in the EU.

It was agreed that the EU should be looked at as an ally rather than as an institution that will harm Malta. Students expressed their hope that Malta will find a new way of conducting politics, that the new faces presented for these elections will stay away from partisanship and, while standing by their principles, they will be ready to use their expertise on European affairs to serve Malta.

Both Dr Busuttil and Dr Tedesco Triccas were active in the SDM as students. Dr Tedesco Triccas was international secretary for three years a couple of years ago and Dr Busuttil was secretary general and president for a number of years in the 1990s.

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