Joseph Cuschieri looks likely to become the new head of Labour’s MEPs. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Veteran Labour MEP John Attard Montalto has declined the post of head of Labour’s MEP delegation in Brussels, making way for Joseph Cuschieri to take up the position vacated by Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech.

European Parliament sources in Brussels told Times of Malta that Mr Cuschieri was already representing his fellow MEPs in the national coordinators’ meeting of the Socialist group.

When contacted, a Labour Party spokesman would only say that the decision was still to be taken by the national executive and would be announced shortly.

I am winding down my political career

However, this newspaper is informed that Mr Cuschieri was given the appointment after Dr Attard Montalto, a minister during the Alfred Sant Administration, wrote to the party leadership saying he was not interested in the post.

Dr Attard Montalto is the longest serving Labour MEP, having been in the European Parliament since Malta joined the EU in 2004. He confirmed telling Labour leader Joseph Muscat he did not wish to be head of delegation.

“I can confirm that I wrote to the leadership saying that I wasn’t interested in the post. I am winding down my political career and prefer that this important position is occupied by someone else,” he said.

Asked whether a decision had been taken on Mr Cuschieri’s appointment, Dr Attard Montalto said it had.

Unlike his fellow MEPs elected in 2004, Dr Muscat and Mr Grech, Dr Attard Montalto did not contest the general election after 2003.

Following the March 9 election, Claudette Abela Baldacchino and Marlene Mizzi replaced Mr Grech and Edward Scicluna for the rest of the EP term, which ends in May.

Mr Cuschieri, who gave up his seat in Parliament in 2008 for Dr Muscat after his election as PL leader, joined the EP in 2011 after Malta was awarded its sixth seat.