A new political party describing itself as ‘Euro sceptic’ will be fielding two candidates in next month’s European Parliament elections.

Named Alleanza ghall-Bidla, the party will be fielding Tonio Calleja and Ivan Grech Mintoff.

In their first media engagement - the submission of their nomination to the electoral commission - both candidates seemed totally unprepared.

They failed to present their photo, necessary for displaying in polling booths and on the commission’s website, and one was told that he could not submit his nomination as he did not have enough money to pay the nomination fee.

Supported by the Front Maltin Inqum, Alleanza ghall-Bidla is claiming it enjoys the support of both PN and PL supporters but is not willing to divulge the identity of its officials for now.

Their proposal is to join forces with other euro sceptic parties in the European Parliament to campaign for the abolition of the Lisbon Treaty.

The alliance is arguing that member states have been stripped of their sovereignty while accusing successive Maltese governments of blatantly breaching the constitution.

The party will be publishing its manifesto soon, but the two candidates declined to give any details about their proposals.

Asked whether they would be campaigning for Malta’s exit from the EU, the candidates said that this should be decided by a referendum once a new treaty is drafted instead of the current one.

PARTY SAYS ITS CANDIDATES WERE PREPARED

In a statement late in the evening, the party denied its candidates were unprepared. It said they were told they did not have to present their photos today and could send them in by email. And, it said, they both paid the nomination fee in cash -- in fact both candidates were accepted and are now on the Electoral Commission's list of nominees. "We had all the necessary paperwork and were totally prepared," the candidates said.