Alternattiva submits candidates

Alternattiva Demokratika has submitted two candidates for European Parliament elections - its chairman Arnold Cassola and Yvonne Ebejer Arqueros.

Born in Sliema, Prof. Cassola is an Associate Professor in Comparative Literature at the University of Malta and has taught at the universities of Catania (1981-83) and Roma La Sapienza (1983-88).

In 1999 he was elected Secretary General of the European Green Party, the only non-EU citizen ever elected to that post of any European political party. He was also a Local Councillor in Swieqi.

In 2004, Prof. Cassola ran for MEP elections and obtained 9.4 per cent of first count votes (23,000 that rose to 29,000 after subsequent preferences).

He is the author/editor of over 30 books on the history, literature, language and culture of Malta as well as of books on Green politics in Malta and Europe. He is the author of scores of academic papers in various countries.

Apart from Malta, he has studied and worked in Italy, Belgium and Switzerland. He is fluent in Maltese, English, Italian, French and Spanish, and has a good working knowledge of German and Arabic. Ms Ebejer Arqueros, 43 years, is employed by the Education Department as a PSD teacher for the primary sector and has studied pedagogy and drama in Malta and the Ukraine.

Ms Ebejer Arqueros has long been active in the social sphere, and has also particpated in civil society campaigns for Malta's membership in the European Union. She was the co-founder of the Women for Peace and Equality and campaigned on various themes including the Palestinian question and women's rights in Malta and the Meditterranenan. Ms Ebejer Arqueros has had long stints in voluntary work with Aġenzija Appoġġ, and Daritama, where she still works, mostly in the youth field. Ms Ebejer Arqueros' main issues and concerns revolve around the social problems faced by the South of Malta and other similar problematic realities.

AD also presented three candidates for the forthcoming local council elections.