Simon Busuttil flew the flag for the Maltese language by making 13 speeches in the national tongue during European Parliament plenary sessions last year.

The PL’s John Attard Montalto did not speak on record in either language during EP plenary sessions in 2012

The same cannot be said for his Labour counterpart John Attard Montalto, who did not speak on record in either Maltese or English during EP plenary sessions in 2012, according to figures obtained from the European Parliament Office in Valletta.

Dr Busuttil also made seven speeches in English, making him comfortably the most frequent speaker in plenary sessions among Malta’s MEPs.

The Nationalist Party deputy leader and candidate for the general election had led the European People’s Party in the EP’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee until recently.

Labour’s Joseph Cuschieri, who became Malta’s sixth MEP in 2011, spoke seven times in Maltese and never in English during the 12 plenary sessions in 2012.

The PL’s Edward Scicluna spoke once in Maltese and twice in English, while Nationalist David Casa managed one speech in Maltese.

Labour’s new deputy leader Louis Grech spoke twice in English and on no occastion in Maltese.

Peter Agius, head of the European Parliament Office in Malta, said that MEPs’ choice of language is often influenced by the circumstances in which they are speaking.

“If an MEP wants to make a last-minute appeal to other MEPs to vote a certain way on legislation they may consider speaking in a language broadly understood by everyone,” Dr Agius said.

Maltese is the second-least spoken language in the European Parliament, after Estonian.

In the 12 plenary sessions of the EP in 2012, Maltese was spoken for 37 minutes and 12 seconds. Estonian had only 24 minutes and 14 seconds of speaking time by comparison.

The total amount of speaking time is heavily influenced by the number of MEPs each country has. Like Malta, Estonia has six MEPs.

Malta’s allocation increased from five seats to six in November 2011, when a protocol adding 18 seats to the parliament was ratified by all member states.

Twenty three languages from 27 member states can be spoken in EU institutions.

English was by far the most widely spoken language in plenary sessions last year with 129 hours, 28 minutes and 31 seconds of speaking time.

German was in second place with 76 hours, 30 minutes and 37 seconds.

Estonian has replaced Maltese as the least spoken language in recent years.

In 2008, Malta had just 57 minutes and 48 seconds of speaking time in plenary sessions, while Estonian had two hours and 12 seconds.

Maltese overtook Estonian in 2010 and has had more speaking time in plenary sessions ever since.

No figures were available for the language used in committee meetings last year but participants are able to speak in such meetings in their native tongue if they give notice of their intention so translation could be provided.

Hundreds of Maltese are employed in translation by EU institutions or engaged on a freelance basis.

EP Plenary Sessions 2012

Simon Busuttil: Maltese: 13; English: 7.
Joseph Cuschieri: Maltese: 7; English: 0.
Edward Scicluna: Maltese: 1; English: 2.
Louis Grech: Maltese: 0; English 2.
David Casa: Maltese: 1; English 0.
John Attard Montalto: Maltese 0; English 0.

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