Edward Demicoli yesterday launched his campaign as an MEP candidate for the Nationalist Party by declaring his opposition to spring hunting.

During a news conference he said he would be guided by four themes - protection, solidarity, funding and the environment.

The importance of green issues was not a mere gimmick but a firm belief, he said. Mr Demicoli promised to work closely with environmental NGOs which had resources and expertise.

Mr Demicoli also said he was against construction in Outside Development Zone areas and that he would push for more monitoring for cleaner air and more consistency from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

Children's rights and illegal immigration were also a priority for the candidate.

Mr Demicoli said his roots were in the PN, but he was inspired by the fact that the party had not dangled a €15,000 fine over the heads of those who did not toe the party line.

"The Labour Party has not yet understood that MEPs represent the citizens and not the party," the 38-year-old said.

Although relatively new to the political scene, having never contested an election, Mr Demicoli has been involved in EU issues for 10 years and has a love for Europe - which he refers to as "my baby" - that dates back to his studies.

Mr Demicoli had worked for the Malta-EU Information Centre during "difficult times", when he was responsible for explaining to a diffident public what the Union was about. He moved on to highlight the opportunities it offered when he was employed as a spokesman by the European Commission.

Mr Demicoli pledged to have a member of staff dedicated wholly to helping NGOs, associations and small businesses access funds and would push the government to facilitate the process. Children's rights are also high on his agenda, and although he said that progress had been registered on that front, more needed to be done.

While illegal immigration was a human tragedy, Mr Demicoli would also be insisting that the EU show more concrete solidarity towards Malta on the matter.