MP stopped from speaking Maltese... at languages conference

Labour MP Owen Bonnici was stopped from speaking in Maltese at a meeting of the joint committee of the European Parliament and the Maltese Parliament.

The meeting was ironically discussing the importance which European languages have in the promotion of European cultures.

Dr Bonnici pointed out that Maltese had been recognised as an official language of the EU but was made to deliver his speech in English because there were no interpreters present during the meeting held in Brussels last Monday.

Those present included EU Languages Commissioner Leonard Orban. The last person to protest publicly when he was prevented from speaking in Maltese at a plenary session of the European Parliament was Labour leader Joseph Muscat in 2005, then an MEP. He had cut short his address when after a few sentences into his speech the presiding chairman informed him he couldn't continue his speech in Maltese as no interpreters were available.

The situation had improved with the intake of more personnel but the limitations remain.