Updated Thursday at 12.14pm with Mr Casa's reply 

The government and Opposition are failing to collaborate in the run-up to Malta's Presidency for the EU, Nationalist MEP David Casa has lamented.

In a statement, Mr Casa said he recently learnt that meeting requests for September were being sent on behalf of Minister Helena Dalli to EPP MEPs without him being informed. Mr Casa led EPP MEPs in the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

"This is not the best way to ensure that the government reaches its objectives in this area," he complained. 

Reiterating that he wished a successful Presidency for Malta, he said that the Opposition would be willing to support the Maltese government’s initiatives in areas for which he is responsible.

'Partisan attacks are hurting Malta' - Government

In a reply, the Civil Liberties ministry noted that Dr Dalli would be meeting with MEPs on behalf of the European Council as part of the EU Presidency trio, and not as a representative of Malta. 

The current trio is made up of the presidencies of the Netherlands, Slovakia and Malta.

The ministry also said that Mr Casa had failed to attend a meeting concerning collaboration between the government and MEPs last December. 

It accused the Opposition of trying to tarnish Malta's reputation at every turn. 

"If the Opposition wants its offers of cooperation to be taken seriously, it should stop using these tactics to try and harm our country for its partisan interests." 

David Casa's reply

In a reply, Mr Casa said the only meeting he had on the Presidency was with Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg about a year and half ago.

“The offer to collaborate constructively on policy initiatives for which I am responsible in the European Parliament has been made loud and clear – the ball is in the government’s court,” he said.