Arnold Cassola, chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika (AD) has called on the Prime Minister to ensure that the thousands of resident non-Maltese EU citizens not registered to vote be given the right to do so in time for the European Parliamentary elections due to be held in 11 months.

"Unfortunately, it seems that the Maltese and Gozitan electoral offices are not being pro-active in enrolling non-Maltese EU residents in the electoral register for the European Parliament elections.

For example, comparative scrutiny of the respective October electoral registers reveal that in the locality of St Paul's Bay, whereas 2.909 non-Maltese EU citizens are enrolled in the local council register, only 113 are likewise enrolled in the European Parliament one,” said Prof. Cassola.

Stephen Cachia, the party’s deputy chairman and spokesman for democratic institution and civil rights said this anomaly is compounded because most non-Maltese EU citizens have expired I.D. cards.

“Unfortunately, no date has been set for the renewal of I.D. cards and this is not expected to be started before sometime in 2009,” explained Mr Cachia.

“Given that the deadline for enrolment in the European Parliament electoral register to be eligible to vote in the European Parliament elections next year is late February/early March, the Electoral Commission should immediately send a letter to every single resident non-Maltese EU citizen already enrolled on the local council electoral registers and on its I.D. card holder data base, informing them of their EU voting rights and of how to enroll on the European Parliament electoral register,” concluded Mr Cachia.

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