Euro MPs set to 'invade' Malta as PN hosts EPP conference

In July Malta will be 'invaded' by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), EU functionaries and other top European officials, as the Nationalist Party hosts a major two-day conference organised by the European People's Party and the European Democrats group (EPP-ED), the largest political group in the European Parliament.

Sources close to the group in Brussels confirmed to The Sunday Times that Malta was chosen to be the location of the group's two-day 'Study Days' activity, a political forum organised for all the group's 277 MEPs, once every two years.

"We think that Malta is a very good location for our political activity. Apart from being a beautiful country, Malta is a new member state which has already adapted itself quite well to the EU structures. When approached, our sister party in Malta (PN) welcomed us and we are very satisfied that almost half of the European Parliament will be travelling to Malta this July."

The international political activity will be held between July 4 and 6, and both the Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort and Corinthia San Gorg hotels in St Julian's have been completely blocked-off to cater solely for the activity.

Apart from 277 MEPs and their spouses, EU correspondents, particularly those based in Brussels, will also be invited to cover the activity. Many EU Commissioners affiliated to the EPP-ED group have also been invited. These include the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, Telecoms chief Viviane Reding, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot, and Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg. Although due to their busy agenda, none have confirmed their participation yet, many commissioners are still expected to attend.

PN sources said that preparations for the hosting of this event are already at a very advanced stage and are being co-ordinated by a special organising group headed by the party's deputy secretary general Angelito Sciberras. However the sources denied that the Nationalist Party will be using this event as a soft-launch of its local electoral campaign.

EPP sources said that the two Nationalist MEPs, Simon Busuttil and David Casa, have been instrumental in attracting this event to Malta.

Contacted by The Sunday Times, Dr Busuttil said that he is delighted that the EPP-ED presidency accepted his proposal.

"This is truly a first. Never before has an entire political group in the European Parliament met in Malta and never before has the largest group - with as many as 277 MEPs - done so. MEPs will include very high-profile individuals ranging from former Presidents to former Prime Ministers as well as top European personalities in their own right. This will give Malta unprecedented exposure in the European Parliament and will enable us to strengthen our networking and friendship with our political family."

Mr Casa also expressed his satisfaction. "This two-day conference will be a very high-profile political activity in Europe and will also serve to project Malta better in the European scene. The fact that the EPP-ED group choose Malta to host this activity is another important credibility certificate for Malta and the Nationalist Party," he said.

Since July 1999, the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats has been the largest political group in the now 785-strong European Parliament. It has 277 MEPs, representing some 37 per cent of the total.

The group unites Christian Democrat, conservative and other mainstream centre and centre-right political forces from across the 27-member European Union. The EPP-ED group is the only one of the seven political groups in the Parliament to include MEPs from all 27 member states.