The vice-president of the EPP Group in the European Parliament has joined criticism of the election of Labour candidate Claudette Abela Baldacchino as an MEP.

"The election of the new Socialist Maltese MEP, Claudette Abela Baldacchino, calls into question the judgement of the Maltese Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party. Without prejudging the outcome of the process, and given that she is facing criminal charges, she should not have been allowed to contest yesterday's casual election to fill one of the vacant Maltese seats in the European Parliament. Even more so when the charges relate to the fraud of EU money”, Manfred Weber said in a statement.

He echoed statements made yesterday by the PN and by Simon Busuttil that her election to the European Parliament means that she will now enjoy Parliamentary immunity and that these criminal charges will be frozen unless immunity is waived.

"Does this serve the interest of justice? No, it does not," Mr Weber said.

"This is making a mockery of European democracy. As the European elections are fast approaching, this decision does nothing to increase trust in MEPs and in the European Parliament."

He said everyone was innocent until proven guilty and this principle applied to everyone, not least to Ms Abela Baldacchino. "But the decision of the Maltese Labour Party to let her contest this election is wrong. It shows lack of political judgement and could have been avoided”, he concluded.