Environment and the youth sectors will be high on the agenda of Labour Party candidate Kirill Micallef Stafrace and the Nationalist Party's Alan Deidun, as they both unveiled their campaigns for the MEP elections yesterday.

Though contesting the European Parliament elections for two opposing parties, the candidates are linked by the fact that they are both University lecturers.

Launching his campaign yesterday morning, Dr Micallef Stafrace, a specialist in sports medicine, admitted that deciding to contest was a difficult decision.

Before yesterday, Dr Micallef Stafrace, 38, the son of former Labour MP Joe Micallef Stafrace, had not been officially affiliated with the party. But then he decided to postpone his wedding, planned for June, by a month to contest.

Environmentalist Alan Deidun launched his campaign pledging he would continue to speak out even though he was backed by the PN flag.

"I am first and foremost an environmentalist who has now entered into politics. I will not abandon my cause and, where the PN deserves to be criticised, I will not hold back," said Dr Deidun, who was recently appointed to head a PN focus group to advise on environmental policy.

Standing near the edge of a cliff in Siġġiewi, with a quarry as a backdrop and the sea in front of him, he explained that he chose the site because it was one of the many places around the island that showed the stark contrast between Malta's beautiful environment and the way it was being defaced.

The fact that the quarry belonged to Charles Polidano, who was often linked with the PN, proved his independent thinking, he pointed out. He added that he believed Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was committed towards safeguarding the environment.

Dr Deidun proposed granting local councils and NGOs the legal power to take action against abuse of public land. To facilitate this he suggested drawing up a register of public land that would be accessible to the public.

He also suggested setting up an environmental legal aid system that would operate through an independent board funded by part of the fees paid by developers upon applying for projects.

Dr Deidun added that his campaign would not be limited to the environment, and he would also be looking into issues such as education and youth.

The European Parliament election will be held in Malta on June 6.