Tonio Borg 'not up to date with current affairs'

European Green Party spokeswoman Grazia Francescato yesterday sang the praises of Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika's Europarliamentary candidate, during a seminar attended by a number of non-governmental organisations.

Ms Francescato said Professor Cassola was the right man for the EP because he had the knowledge as well as the confidence for the job.

On top of this, she said, the European Greens needed to strengthen their presence all over Europe, especially in the Mediterranean region, where it was still not strong enough.

"Arnold Cassola is an honour for Malta," she said.

Ms Francescato stressed the importance of a Maltese representative within the Green group at the EP, saying the Greens could make a difference in Europe, so that Europe can make a difference in the world.

Professor Cassola said that although being an MEP was not incompatible with his current post as European Greens' secretary general, he would still resign if elected on June 12. "I cannot do too many jobs at once," he said.

The AD candidate accused Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg of not being abreast with what was happening around him. Referring to Dr Borg's comments about AD's stand on nuclear deterrents, Professor Cassola asked: "Does not Dr Borg know that there is no need for nuclear weapons any more?"

With regard to the controversy about the Eritrean illegal immigrants who claimed they were tortured after being deported from Malta, Professor Cassola asked: "Does not Dr Borg know that there is a crisis in the Horn of Africa?"

Professor Cassola said that although it was true that the European Greens voted with the Socialists a number of times, they also voted with the European People's Party, with which the PN would be affiliated.

AD chairman Harry Vassallo slammed the use of the Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES), which was given to the government by its US counterpart and installed at Malta International Airport.

Dr Vassallo said Malta was the only EU member country to have accepted this donation, and added that this system was a dangerous one because although the software was supposed to tell the local authorities who was passing through Malta, it was probably sending the whole data back to the US.