Sharon Ellul Bonici launched her European Parliament electoral campaign this morning with a call for the people to look to the future, not the past.

The former campaigner against EU membership, now a Labour candidate, told a press conference that the EU membership issue was now five years old and the people should be mature enough to look ahead, not backwards. She said that while five years ago she had felt that was not the time for Malta to join the EU, the people had voted for accession, and she was determined to ensure that Malta and the Maltese got the best out of membership.

She said she would be focusing on seven themes: safeguarding the rights of Malta and the Maltese as individuals; better access to EU funds; illegal immigration; health and education; the environment; the financial crisis, and the future of the EU.

The launch was attended by PL leader Joseph Muscat, who also reiterated that Malta was now in the EU and should be able to enjoy the benefits it was entitled for.

Dr Muscat said this would not be an easy election for the PL, since it had just come out of defeat at the general election and it was going through many changes. He urged all candidates to listen to the people, so that they would be able to lead them. The candidates, he said, needed to show they could make a difference in people's lives.