Independence Day celebrated by Maltese in Luxembourg

A number of Maltese living in Luxembourg yesterday got together for the first time to toast Malta's 40th Independence anniversary.

The occasion was organised on the initiative of Josef Bonnici, Malta's member on the Court of Auditors, who resides in Luxembourg.

There are currently almost 50 Maltese living and working in Luxembourg but this number is set to increase as additional Maltese personnel join various EU institutions and agencies based in Luxembourg as a direct result of Malta's EU accession on May 1.

The activity was held at the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg. Also present for the reception were Judge Anthony Borg Barthet, serving at the Court of Justice of the European Communities, Judge Ena Cremona, serving at the Court of First Instance, Richard Cachia Caruana, Malta's Permanent Representative to the EU, and Michel Molitor, honorary consul of Malta in Luxembourg.

Prof. Bonnici told The Times the activity was very successful in bringing together, for the first time, the nascent Maltese community in Luxembourg.

Prof. Bonnici proposed a toast to mark Malta's Independence Day and in honour of the host country, Luxembourg. Quite fittingly, the toast was made with some excellent sparkling wine from Luxembourg and Malta's very own soft-drink - Kinnie.

Ray Cachia Zammit, head of secretariat at Prof. Bonnici's office, told The Times there were 47 Maltese living in Luxembourg. Of these, 36 work in EU institutions. Thirty of them are working in the translation field and many of them have a legal background.

Mr Cachia Zammit said it was expected that future Maltese recruits within the EU institutions would include more personnel in administrative and technical posts, although many vacancies for translators remain to be filled.