Irish presidency proposes sixth EP seat for Malta

The Maltese government's persistence in insisting on a bigger representation for Malta in the European Parliament has had some success as a document drawn up by the Irish Presidency for discussion at the EU summit starting today proposes that Malta should have a sixth seat.

The matter has been high on the government's agenda over the past months and was discussed at the level of Prime Ministers on several occasions. When German chancellor Gerard Schroeder was in Malta last year he had said that Germany could live with such a proposal if the Presidency made it.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has discussed the matter with his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern and the Irish Presidency has now included the issue of a sixth seat for Malta in the European Parliament as its own proposal. Government sources said this was an important step forward but the issue has still to be agreed upon in the summit, scheduled to take place today and tomorrow.

Sources recalled that in negotiations with the EU, Malta had initially been given four seats and, through lobbying, managed to obtain the fifth one. Now it seems Malta was inching its way to obtain the sixth one too.

If the proposal is accepted, it will not come into effect before it is ratified by the EU member states in at least three years' time.

Dr Gonzi yesterday met the leaders of European Popular Parties at a summit on the outskirts of Brussels. Speaking to the press before he went in, Dr Gonzi said the EPP summit was meant to discuss both the position popular parties would take on the draft EU constitution and also possibly name a successor to the Commission's president Romano Prodi.

Journalists present were keen to know who EPP leaders were favouring and when asked about his preference, Dr Gonzi said he personally favoured Jean Claude Juncker.

Mr Juncker is, however, not accepting the nomination, arguing that in the election campaign in Luxembourg he had promised his electorate he would not become EU president.

"I do not want to appear to be lying," he said. Mr Juncker said he prefers the liberal Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. Mr Juncker is seen as wanting the Belgian colleague because of the strong ties that exist between Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

The name of Enlargement Commissioner Gunther Verheugen as a possible candidate for the EU Commission presidency also featured in questions by journalists yesterday, but sources said the fact that he was not a Prime Minister could work against him.