Sant lobbies for support

Labour Party leader Alfred Sant yesterday called on the European Union's Committee of Regions (COR) to lend its support to the party's case for a change in the composition of the Local Councils Association in Malta.

Addressing a COR session of the Socialist Group, the largest political force in the committee, in Brussels, Dr Sant said that despite Labour having won a majority of mayors and councillors at the local level this is not being reflected in the association representing the councils which still has a majority of Nationalist councillors.

"We have been insisting for the past year on the need of democratic changes in the way the Local Councils Association is elected so that this reflects our people's choices.

"The situation has now worsened as our majority increased and the government has still not introduced any reforms. This is creating a democratic deficit which also reflects Malta's representation at the COR. We are going to continue to fight this democratic imposition and we would like your support on this issue."

On the MLP's political priorities, Dr Sant said that in the coming years, the party will be pressing for the creation of new jobs and lower inflation. These priorities should come before any other issue while ensuring that current social structures are maintained. He emphasised the important role that regional and local authorities can play in this economic strategy.

During his first day of meetings, Dr Sant met with the president of the Party of European Socialists, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen; with COR president Michel Delebarre and with the president of the Socialist Group in the COR, Mercedes Bresso.