Malta is once again absent from a joint parliamentary meeting being organised by the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels even if one of the topics is of vital interest to the island - migration.
This is not the first time Malta's seats during these important meetings - a consultation process between the EP and National Parliaments - have been left vacant as no Maltese MP was available to attend.
However, Malta's absence this time is even more striking due to the importance the island has been giving to migration policy and the need for the other member states to show more solidarity with the island.
The two-day meeting, which started yesterday, is discussing the Stockholm programme, the EU's plan in the areas of justice and home affairs for the coming five years.
The only Maltese presence is indirect, through Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil who is representing the European People's Party.
A spokesman for the European Parliament yesterday confirmed that Malta had decided not to send any of its MPs to the meeting despite various reminders sent to the administration of the Maltese House of Representatives.
A spokesman for the Maltese Parliament told The Times that "it was not possible to send anyone due to the current debate on the budget estimates".
"We had also to turn down other invitations for participation in overseas conferences including from the Council of Europe," the spokesman explained. The lack of an agreement on pairing between the government and opposition is one of the impediments, which leads to Malta often being conspicuous by her absence in these important meetings.
Despite the lack of pairing arrangements, Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg yesterday could still be in Brussels to participate in a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting yesterday, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said that the Lisbon Treaty, which enters into force on December 1, confers for the first time an active role to national parliaments at the EU level.
He said that the Stockholm programme should focus on addressing the problems of migration on the basis of solidarity and strike a better balance between the security of citizens and the protection of their individual rights.
The Stockholm Programme is currently under discussion by the EU and is expected to be adopted by EU Heads of State and Government at the summit in December.