Nationalist Party MEPs' superior record

In his letter to The Times, Joseph Cuschieri claims that PL is "more conversant with what it takes to navigate in the deep waters of EU institutions" (March 30). He also directly links the MEPs' performance to numbers and assumes, with mathematical certainty, that the three PL MEPs have done more than Simon Busuttil and David Casa.

Having followed the adventure of our first MEPs since 2004 my impression is different. But beyond partisan weighing of merits, we should, maybe, just look at one illustrative case.

Cannot avoid it: Irregular immigration: Joseph Muscat and the PL MEPs hardly had any backing from their European Socialist Party in this regard. The most PL could do on this matter was to point out, in a less than strategic way, the already evident right to veto.

From the PN MEPs on the other hand, in September last year, we saw amendments to the EU budget proposed by Dr Busuttil gathering the support of the 785-strong house. That move put the emphasis on the immigration problem faced by Malta and provided for the financing of an infrastructure for a burden sharing mechanism. Not enough, sure. But that is much better than any of the PL MEPs have been able to do!

If we needed further confirmation that Dr Busuttil and Mr Casa have a good backing from the European People's Party, that became crystal clear when Dr Busuttil was appointed party spokesman on the immigration dossier.

What backing do the PL MEPs have from their colleagues in the European Socialist Party on the immigration issue? If they have any support we have not seen much of it yet.

Apart from turning the guns against the government through the European channel, PL MEPs have done little to influence European politics for the benefit of the Maltese people.

Mr Cuschieri and others in the PL see the EU as made up of bullies trying to relegate us to a third class country. Their idea of diplomacy is to shout wolf and force the hand of your partners. That seems to be a recipe for disaster in a set-up where words have to be weighed, actions pondered and relations fostered. European politics seem to be a question of tact and consistency rather than sensational declarations to rally angering spirits.

But, maybe the noisier you are the better it is to get the attention of the national electorate, and that is evidently factored in the PL campaign. Our islands protect us from the reality around us. But that should not let us forget that if we raise our voice we might realise it is just a murmur after all.

So, for the sake of having a representative in the European Parliament which can speak with authority when it really matters, I would be opting for someone who can convince without raising his/her voice.