The PN has a long list of people who have asked to contest the next election for the European Parliament as Nationalist candidates, party leader Simon Busuttil said this morning.

He was speaking just before meeting a new party commission tasked with selecting the candidates.

The Commission’s chairman, former EU Commissioner Joe Borg, said that although there were many potential candidates, the Commission would select only a few as there were practical limitations to how many candidates could contest under the party list.

Dr Borg said that one of the first tasks for the Commission was to set guidelines on the criteria to be used to recommend candidates.

Dr Busuttil said the party was looking at presenting around ten candidates.

Asked what the PN position would be on potential candidates who were facing criminal court charges, Dr Busuttil said such issues would be discussed by the Commission.

He said that the PN executive would still be the main decision maker on the final list of candidates but the Commission would act as a pre-selection.

It should be in a position to make its first recommendations by the end of July.

Apart from Dr Borg, the Commission also includes former MPs Noel Buttigieg Scicluna and Louis Deguara; Salvu Sciberras, Isabelle Vella, Dr Maria Cassar and Dr Karol Aquilina.