None of the five Maltese members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will be contesting the next general election, The Times has learnt.

Asked to state their position, now that the announcement of the general election looks imminent, the MEPs categorically ruled out that they will run for the election.

Labour's head of delegation at the European Parliament, Louis Grech, rejected rumours that he will be contesting on the MLP ticket on the first electoral district.

"Despite the pressure, I have decided not to contest and to remain serving my country as an MEP," Mr Grech said.

The other MEPs, John Attard Montalto and Joseph Muscat for Labour and Simon Busuttil and David Casa for the PN, also made it clear they will be staying on in Brussels until the end of their mandate in May 2009.

Over the past weeks, pressure has been mounting by the MLP and the PN respective leaderships to persuade their MEPs to contest.

Dr Busuttil, leader of the Maltese EPP-ED delegation in Brussels, admitted when asked that the Prime Minister had on several occasions asked him to submit his nomination and contest the eighth district, which includes his home town of Birkirkara. He too decided to serve his full MEP term.

Out of the five MEPs, only Dr Attard Montalto has contested national elections. He was an MP since 1992 and gave up his seat in 2004 when he was elected to the European Parliament. He also formed part of Alfred Sant's Labour Cabinet between 1998 and 1998 as Industry Minister.

According to the European Parliament's statute, MEPs cannot be members of both the European Parliament and their national Parliament concurrently. If elected to both, they would have to choose which seat to occupy.

The next election of the European Parliament is scheduled for June 2009.